South Africa coach, Hugo Broos, has claimed that the Super Eagles of Nigeria relied heavily on physicality in their 1-1 draw during Tuesday’s 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifier.
The Bafana Bafana went ahead in the 22nd minute after William Troost-Ekong turned the ball into his own net. Nigeria, however, hit back before the break, with Calvin Bassey finding the equaliser.
Both teams pushed in the second half at the Free State Stadium, but neither could find a winning goal as they settled for a point apiece.
Reflecting on the encounter, Broos said Nigeria’s approach was built more on strength than creativity.
“It was the game I expected on our side, a team that wanted to play football, and on the other, a team that tried to win by power,” Broos told reporters.
“We did very well in the first half, but Nigeria tried to come back physically, and they managed to do that.”
