Super Eagles’ gaffe: Chelle speaks on team’s draw against South Africa
By Tosin Omojola –
Super Eagles head coach, Eric Sekou Chelle, has reacted to his team’s 1-1 draw against the Bafana Bafana of South Africa on Tuesday.
The 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifier Group C clash was played at the Toyota Stadium, Bloemfontein.
Calvin Bassey’s strike on the stroke of halftime cancelled out William Troost-Ekong’s own goal, ensuring both sides shared the points.
“It was a great game, full of intensity and aggressiveness,” Chelle said after the match. “The pitch made things difficult, but both teams tried to play good football. Congratulations to South Africa, they played very well, and my players also gave their best.”
The Nigerian coach admitted his side took risks early on in search of a win. “We wanted to push in the first half, keeping one-on-one situations at the back because victory was our goal. Unfortunately, after just 22 minutes, we conceded. But I’m proud of the mentality the boys showed to fight back.”
He further praised his players’ resilience, noting that their response after going behind reflected the determination to secure qualification.
With the result, Nigeria now sits third in the group standings, behind South Africa and the Benin Republic.
