Super Eagles head coach, Eric Chelle, has described Nigeria’s 1-1 draw with South Africa as a positive result, even though his team had hoped for a win.

The 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifier took place on Tuesday at the Free State Stadium in Bloemfontein.

Nigeria fell behind in the 22nd minute after captain William Troost-Ekong scored an own goal. But just before half-time, Calvin Bassey headed home to level the score. Despite chances in the second half, neither side managed to secure a winner.

Speaking after the game, Chelle praised his players’ effort but admitted they lacked precision in the final third.

“At the beginning of the second half, we put a lot of pressure on South Africa, but we were missing something—maybe the final pass or that technical sharpness,” he said.

The coach, however, insisted the result was respectable:
“To get a draw in South Africa is a good result. Of course, we wanted to win, so there’s a little disappointment, but that’s football.”

The Super Eagles currently sit third in their group with 11 points, while South Africa and the Benin Republic lead with 17 and 16 points, respectively, with just two games left to play.