Nigeria vs South Africa: Chelle fails to save himself as Super Eagles struggle on a horrible pitch

The Super Eagles' hopes of qualifying for next year's World Cup are all but over after Eric Chelle's men played a 1-1 draw against South Africa in their qualifying encounter in Bloemfontein on Tuesday evening.

The Super Eagles needed a win to keep their faint hopes alive, but fell behind to a William Troost-Ekong own goal.

Although Calvin Bassey's controversial header restored parity for the Super Eagles at halftime, the three-time African champions could not find the winner in the second half.

The result is a major blow to the Super Eagles' hopes of qualifying for the World Cup, and it also does not help Eric Chelle's quest to lead the team to the Africa Cup of Nations this year.

Having said that, here are some of the major talking points from the game.

Chelle received criticism for the way he set up the team against Rwanda, so he decided to make a few adjustments for this game. 

However, the adjustment only created more problems as it left Nigeria too open when out of possession. 

The 47-year-old tactician made a few changes to the side that beat Rwanda, introducing William Troost-Ekong, Fisayo Dele-Bashiru and Cryriel Dessers for Bruno Onyemaechi, Frank Onyeka, and Victor Osimhen, respectively. 

Ekong coming in for Onyemaech meant Bassey moved to left-back, with the captain pairing with Benjamin Fredericks in the centre. 

However, the decision backfired as Bassey struggled for most of the first half against Mohau Nkota. 

The Fulham was out of position for South Africa’s opener, which Nkota set up. Ekong did not cover himself in glory, either, as he was on the wrong end of Nkota’s cross. 

Ekong was the captain, but he was not up for it. He struggled against the physicality of the South Africans and was rightly taken off at halftime. 

Chelle’s decision to play a midfield trio of Wilfred Ndidi, Bashiru and Alex Iwobi left the Super Eagles too open when out of possession. 

Ndidi, who played as the sole defensive midfielder, could not handle the task, allowing the South Africans to bypass our midfield easily. 

Although the Malian tactician made changes at halftime, it never had any effect. He brought on Tolu Arokodare for Dessers for his aerial presence. 

However, the Wolves striker never received quality service in the box. Overall, it was a poor job from Chelle over these two games. 

Although the Super Eagles raised their level a little bit in the second half, they could have pressed the South Africans better. 

The team’s pressing was nonexistent, which allowed the South Africans to play without pressure. 

Despite the bumpy pitch, the South Africans were comfortable playing out of from the back, especially in the first half. 

Let us forget about the tactics for a moment. The pitch in Bloemfontein was a disgrace and was not fit for a college football game, not to mention a World Cup qualifier of this magnitude. 

Both teams struggled on the pitch, although the South Africans seemed more comfortable, given that most of the players play locally, and they also beat Lesotho at the same venue last Friday. 

Nonetheless, the pitch was not fit for purpose, which makes you wonder how FIFA and CAF approved it in the first place. 

If there is any positive to take from the two games this window, it is the performance of Benjamin Fredrick. 

The game against Rwanda was his first competitive appearance for the Super Eagles, but he was poised and calm. 

If his performance against the Amavubi was not convincing enough for some people, his display against the Bafana Bafana has definitely cleared any lingering doubts. 

In a game of this magnitude, Frederick was brilliant. He was up to the challenge and was comfortable on the ball. 

At just 20, it appears the Super Eagles have a new star in defence. A shame he will not play in next year’s World Cup, but he will definitely be present in subsequent ones as long as Nigeria qualify.