Super Eagles head coach Eric Chelle has explained his touchline clash with South Africa’s coach Hugo Broos during their 2026 World Cup qualifier in Bloemfontein.

The incident happened in the second half at the Toyota Stadium when both benches reacted angrily to refereeing decisions in a tense match that ended 1-1. Officials had to step in to calm things down as players and staff tried to prevent the argument from escalating.

After the game, Chelle played down the situation, saying it was simply part of the passion and pressure that come with football at this level. He admitted that emotions sometimes run high during such important matches.

“There is always tension. You can say something the wrong way and sometimes you have to fight — not a real fight, but you must manage the pressure,” Chelle said. “Both teams want to win, so one side will always disagree with the referee. That is football.”

The 1-1 draw left Nigeria with only two points from their last two qualifiers, while South Africa continued their strong push in the group.