Nigeria’s head coach has accused the Democratic Republic of Congo of using “voodoo” during their tense penalty shootout, which ended the Super Eagles’ bid to reach the 2026 World Cup.
Nigeria and DR Congo played to a 1-1 draw after extra time in the African play-off final in Rabat on Sunday.
The Congolese side eventually won 4-3 on penalties, earning a spot in the inter-confederation play-offs set for March in Mexico.
Speaking to journalists after the match, Eric Chelle claimed that someone from the DR Congo bench performed rituals during the shootout, which he believed influenced Nigeria’s defeat.
“During all the penalty sessions, the DR Congo did some voodoo. Every time. Every time. That was why I was a bit nervous,” he told reporters.
He explained that he saw a DR Congo staff member waving a hand as if sprinkling or shaking “something like water”, which he believed was being used to jinx the Nigerian players.
The comments came after Calvin Bassey, Moses Simon, and Semi Ajayi missed their penalties, while Chancel Mbemba converted the decisive kick to send DR Congo into the intercontinental playoffs.
Chelle, a former Mali international who has recorded four wins and two draws since taking charge of Nigeria, had already warned before the game that facing DR Congo in Morocco would be “very difficult.”
Despite heavy rain and a bottle thrown in his direction, DR Congo captain Chancel Mbemba stepped up and scored the decisive kick, pushing his team closer to their first World Cup appearance in decades.
Nigeria, ranked far above DR Congo and considered favourites before the match, have now missed two consecutive World Cups, something that last happened before their first appearance at the tournament in 1994.
Meanwhile, DR Congo is seeking a return to the world stage for the first time since 1974, when the country competed under the name Zaire.
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