Super Eagles head coach, Eric Chelle, has shared his thoughts on Nigeria’s 1-1 draw against South Africa in their 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifier played on Tuesday at the Free State Stadium, Bloemfontein.
The match saw Bafana Bafana take the lead in the 22nd minute after an own-goal by Nigeria’s captain, William Troost-Ekong. Calvin Bassey, however, restored parity for the Super Eagles before halftime. Both sides pushed for a winner in the second half but failed to convert their chances, leaving the game level at full time.
Speaking at his post-match press conference, Chelle said he was pleased with the team’s effort but disappointed they could not secure all three points.
“At the beginning of the second half, we put a lot of pressure on South Africa but we were missing something — maybe the last technical skill, maybe the last pass,” he explained.
“So the draw is a good result; to get a draw in South Africa is not easy. But for us, we wanted to win, so we are a little disappointed. That’s football.”
With the result, Nigeria sits in third place in the qualifying group with 11 points from eight matches. South Africa leads with 17 points, while Benin Republic follows closely with 16 points. Two games remain to decide the group’s World Cup slot.