Nigeria men’s national team head coach, Eric Chelle, has identified a key technical error his Super Eagles side committed in their 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifier against South Africa on Tuesday.
Chelle oversaw the 1-1 stalemate at the Free State Stadium in Bloemfontein, where his team fought back after falling behind.
The breakthrough for Bafana Bafana came in the 22nd minute, when William Troost-Ekong inadvertently turned the ball into his own net.
Fulham defender Calvin Bassey brought Nigeria level before the halftime break.
In his post-match remarks, Chelle explained to reporters that Nigeria’s decision to defend one-on-one at the back in the first half proved costly, as it opened the door for the hosts to find the net.
“For me, it was a great game, with a lot of intensity and aggressiveness,” Chelle said.
“Because of the pitch, the two teams tried to play well. Congratulations to South Africa, they played a great game, Nigeria team too.
“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.
“We wanted to take a risk and in just 22 minutes they scored a goal, but after that we had the state of mind to come back.”
Following the draw, Chelle’s men have slipped to third place in the group, trailing South Africa and the Benin Republic.
Nigeria vs South Africa: Chelle reveals key error Super Eagles made against Bafana Bafana
