2026 World Cup Qualifiers: Super Eagles Coach Eric Chelle Admits Tactical Error in 1-1 Draw Against South Africa
Story written by Okafor joseph September 10,2025
The Super Eagles settled for a 1-1 draw with Bafana Bafana on Tuesday night at the Free State Stadium in Bloemfontein.
An own goal by captain William Troost-Ekong in the 22nd minute handed South Africa the lead before Calvin Bassey equalized for Nigeria just before halftime.
Speaking after the game, Chelle explained that his decision to push the team into a high-risk setup early in the match exposed the Super Eagles defensively.
“For me, it was a great game, full of intensity. Both teams tried to play well despite the pitch conditions. Congratulations to South Africa, they played a great game, and Nigeria too,” Chelle told reporters.
“We wanted to take a risk in the first half, leaving one-on-one situations at the back because we wanted the win. Unfortunately, 22 minutes in, we conceded a goal. But after that, the team showed the right mentality to come back.”
The result leaves Nigeria in third place in Group standings, behind South Africa and Benin Republic, as the race for World Cup qualification heats up.
