Discover South Africa coach Hugo Broos' perspective on their 1-1 draw against Nigeria in the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers. Broos expresses satisfaction with the result, highlighting the importance of securing points away from home
South Africa's coach, Hugo Broos, expressed his satisfaction with their 1-1 draw against Nigeria at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium on Friday.
This match, part of the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers, saw South Africa maintaining their challenging stance against the Super Eagles.
Earlier this year, the two teams faced off in the semi-finals of the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations in Ivory Coast. That encounter was intensely competitive, with Nigeria leading for most of the game.
However, South Africa managed to equalize in the dying moments, pushing the match to penalties. Nigeria eventually triumphed in the shootout, securing their place in the final.
In the recent qualifier, the Super Eagles were desperate for a win to recover from two previous draws. South Africa took the lead in the first half, but Nigeria equalized early in the second. Despite their efforts, Nigeria couldn't secure a win and had to settle for another draw.
Broos highlighted the significance of the result, noting that Nigeria was seen as the primary contender for the top spot in their group. "When we came here, we hoped to have at least one point, not to lose. That was very important for us. The pressure was on Nigeria, they played two draws in their last two games. And you know in qualifiers, that’s not really good," Broos remarked.
He emphasized the importance of winning home games and picking up points on the road, expressing contentment with the draw. Next, Nigeria faces Benin, seeking their first win of the qualifiers.
