Super Eagles coach Eric Chelle has found a silver lining in the disappointment of Nigeria’s draw against South Africa

Nigeria’s dream of reaching the 2026 FIFA World Cup took another hit after a tense 1-1 draw against South Africa in Bloemfontein, but head coach Eric Chelle is determined to keep spirits high.

While the Super Eagles’ qualification hopes now hang by a thread, Chelle insisted there were positives to take from the encounter.

Chelle highlights positives in tough contest

Speaking after the match, Chelle admitted the team had gone to South Africa looking for all three points, but he described the result as respectable considering the quality of the opposition.

“To draw with South Africa in South Africa is a good result, but we wanted to win, so we’re a bit disappointed tonight,” he said.

The Super Eagles had to recover from an early setback when William Troost-Ekong scored an own goal, only for defender Calvin Bassey to grab his first goal for the national team before halftime.

Despite second-half chances, particularly through Tolu Arokodare, Nigeria failed to find a winner and were forced to settle for a point. The result leaves them on 11 points, level with Benin Republic, but six adrift of group leaders South Africa, who now look in firm control.

Ex-Super Eagles star insists Nigeria still in the race

Meanwhile, former Super Eagles midfielder Friday Ekpo has also urged Nigerians not to lose faith despite the odds.

Speaking to in a recent interview, he stressed that the World Cup dream is still alive if the team can win their final two matches and hope for favourable results elsewhere.

“The Super Eagles’ hope of qualifying for the 2026 World Cup is not over yet. The most important thing at the moment is for the team to win their remaining two games and hope other countries from other groups fail to get higher points,” he said.

Ekpo remained confident that Nigeria can still sneak into the World Cup despite the setback, insisting optimism must be maintained until the last whistle of the qualifiers.

However, the Super Eagles will now not only need perfection in their remaining games but also rely on CAF and FIFA’s ruling regarding South Africa’s alleged use of an ineligible player to have any realistic shot.