Head coach of Nigeria’s Super Eagles, Eric Chelle, has admitted that a technical error by his team played a role in their 1-1 draw against South Africa during Tuesday’s 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying match.
The highly anticipated encounter, which took place at the Free State Stadium in Bloemfontein, saw Nigeria fall behind early in the game before fighting back to earn a point.
South Africa took the lead in the 22nd minute, after a costly own-goal by Super Eagles captain William Troost-Ekong. However, Nigeria responded just before half time, with Calvin Bassey heading home the equaliser to bring the score level at 1-1.
In his post-match interview, Coach Chelle praised both teams for their performance but admitted that Nigeria’s tactical decision to play one-on-one in defence during the first half was a risky move that backfired.
“We wanted to take a risk in the first half to stay one-on-one behind because for us, the win was what we wanted,” Chelle explained.
“Just 22 minutes in, we conceded a goal, but after that we had the state of mind to come back.”
Chelle said the team was aggressive and showed good fighting spirit despite the setback. He also acknowledged the difficulty of playing on the pitch but commended both teams for trying to keep the ball on the ground and play constructive football.
“It was a great game, with a lot of intensity and aggressivity,” Chelle said.
“Congratulations to South Africa, they played a great game. Nigeria too.”
The result means Nigeria now sit third in Group C, behind Benin Republic and South Africa, putting extra pressure on the Super Eagles as the qualifiers continue.
Nigeria will need to improve on their performance in upcoming matches to secure one of the qualification spots for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which will be hosted by the United States, Mexico, and Canada.
With four games already played and points dropped at home and away, fans and football analysts are calling for stronger tactical decisions and better finishing from the Super Eagles moving forward.
The next round of qualifiers is expected later this year, and all eyes will be on Chelle and his players to bounce back and revive Nigeria’s qualification hopes.
