South Africa vs Nigeria: 4 things we learnt from Super Eagles’ 1-1 draw

Nigeria needed victory against South Africa in their 2026 World Cup qualifier on Tuesday but had to settle for a 1-1 draw.

A William Troost-Ekong own goal handed the hosts the lead in the first half.

Before the interval, Calvin Bassey rose to head in the equaliser.

The result does little to boost Nigeria’s chances of qualifying for next year’s tournament.

So, what did we learn from the match in Bloemfontein?

1. Nigeria are unlikely to reach the World Cup
The draw means the Super Eagles now have 11 points after eight matches. Although they remain in second place for now, Benin Republic could overtake them if they secure any result against Lesotho, with only two fixtures left.

2. Only FIFA can stop South Africa
Barring a three-point and three-goal deduction from FIFA, South Africa are virtually guaranteed a World Cup place. Bafana Bafana are awaiting a ruling from the world football governing body after allegedly fielding an ineligible player against Lesotho in March.

3. VAR still a problem
Only last weekend, Nigeria were denied what appeared to be a legitimate goal against Rwanda, though they went on to win 1-0. Against South Africa, the ball struck Calvin Bassey’s arm before his equaliser. Had VAR been in use, the goal might well have been disallowed, potentially changing the course of the match.

4. Arokodare is Osimhen’s deputy
With Victor Osimhen unavailable, Eric Chelle opted to start Cyriel Dessers. However, the Super Eagles only began to look dangerous after Tolu Arokodare was introduced at the start of the second half. While the Wolves striker did not score, he troubled the South African defence throughout, keeping them under constant pressure.

South Africa vs Nigeria: 4 things we learnt from Super Eagles’ 1-1 draw