'Honour to wear this shirt' - Bassey breaks silence on first Eagles goal, keeps hope alive after painful draw vs South Africa

Fulham defender Calvin Bassey has opened up after scoring his first goal for Nigeria in their 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifier clash against South Africa, sharing an emotional message of belief and faith despite a frustrating draw.

The Super Eagles’ journey to the World Cup finals remains challenging after they were held to a 1-1 stalemate by South Africa’s Bafana Bafana at the Free State Stadium in Bloemfontein on Tuesday.

The Group C leaders began the match with intensity, testing Nigeria’s defence from both flanks. Early misfortune struck the Super Eagles when wing-back Olaoluwa Aina was forced off due to an injury after just eight minutes. 

Things worsened for Nigeria in the 25th minute when their captain, William Ekong, accidentally deflected the ball into his own net, beating goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali and giving South Africa the lead. The own goal energised the hosts and put Nigeria on the back foot.

But defender Calvin Bassey came to Nigeria’s rescue before halftime. After a surging run with the ball, Bassey found Fisayo Dele-Bashiru, whose pull-back was met by Bassey’s firm header, leveling the score against the run of play. 

The goal marked a significant milestone for Fulham’s Player of the Season, Bassey, his first ever for the Super Eagles.

Despite a second half filled with promise, the match produced few clear chances. Substitutes Tolu Arokodare and Dele-Bashiru both had opportunities to win it for Nigeria but were unable to convert them.

With the draw, Nigeria now sits on 11 points from 8 Group C matches. Their next fixture is another away game at Free State Stadium, this time against Lesotho on October 10.

After the match, Bassey took to Snapchat to reflect on his moment and the team’s fight: “Honour to wear this shirt and score my first goal. We didn’t win, but we keep believing. If anyone can do [it], it is God.”

His message resonates with the Super Eagles’ determination to keep faith and push forward despite the tough road ahead in qualifying for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.