South Africa’s hopes of cementing their place at the 2026 FIFA World Cup were put on pause after a dramatic 1-1 draw against Nigeria in Johannesburg, with Bafana Bafana coach Hugo Broos left fuming over the Super Eagles’ equaliser.
The home side struck first when Nigeria captain William Troost-Ekong turned the ball into his own net, gifting South Africa the lead. But just before half-time, Fulham defender Calvin Bassey levelled matters, rising to meet Fisayo Dele-Bashiru’s cross. Replays, however, showed the ball may have brushed Bassey’s arm before crossing the line — a moment that sparked heated debate and overshadowed what was otherwise an intense encounter.
Broos did not hide his frustration in his post-match comments, accusing Nigeria of relying on physicality rather than football and insisting the equaliser should not have stood. “We defended well in the first half, but Nigeria tried to impose themselves physically. The goal came from a lack of aggression on our part, and secondly, it was handball,” the Belgian coach said pointedly.
The draw leaves Nigeria in a precarious position in Group C. The Super Eagles now sit on 11 points, six adrift of leaders South Africa with just two qualifying games left against Lesotho and Benin in October. Failure to win both would all but end their hopes of reaching the tournament in North America.
Meanwhile, Bafana Bafana remain in control of their destiny, sitting top of the group and looking ahead to decisive fixtures against Zimbabwe on October 6 and Rwanda a week later. With confidence high but pressure mounting, Broos’ men know that securing maximum points will be vital to booking their ticket to the World Cup.
