uper Eagles head coach, Eric Chelle, has admitted that a tactical gamble cost Nigeria during their 1-1 draw with South Africa in Tuesday’s 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifier at the Free State Stadium, Bloemfontein.

Nigeria fell behind in the 22nd minute when captain William Troost-Ekong inadvertently put the ball into his own net, handing Bafana Bafana the lead. But the Super Eagles fought back before halftime, with Calvin Bassey heading home an equalizer from a Fisayo Dele-Bashiru cross.

Speaking after the game, Chelle revealed that Nigeria’s decision to play with a risky one-on-one defensive setup in the first half opened the door for South Africa’s goal.

“For me, it was a great game with a lot of intensity and aggressiveness,” Chelle told reporters.

“We wanted to take a risk in the first half by staying one-on-one at the back because the win was what we wanted. Unfortunately, 22 minutes in, we conceded. But I’m proud of the team’s mindset to fight back.”

Despite pushing hard in the second half, Nigeria could not find a winner and had to settle for a share of the points.

The result leaves the Super Eagles in third place in their qualifying group, behind South Africa and Benin Republic, with the race for a World Cup ticket still wide open.