Super Eagles head coach Eric Chelle has accused the Democratic Republic of Congo of using “voodoo” during the penalty shootout that eliminated Nigeria from the 2026 World Cup qualifying playoff final in Morocco.
Chelle made the claim on Sunday following Nigeria’s 1–1 draw with DR Congo, which went to penalties. Nigeria took an early lead in the third minute through Frank Onyeka’s deflected strike, but Meschak Elia equalized later in the first half. With no goals in extra time, DR Congo ultimately won the shootout.
The match grew tense after Chancel Mbemba converted the decisive penalty, prompting Chelle to approach the DR Congo technical area and confront staff members, including head coach Sébastien Desabre, before being restrained by Nigerian officials. Desabre later dismissed the incident, calling it “not an issue.”
Chelle, however, insisted that members of the Congolese bench performed ritualistic acts during each penalty. “During all the penalty sessions, the guy from Congo did some voodoo,” he said. “Every time, so this is why I was a little nervous after him.”
When asked for specifics, he added: “Yeah, something like, I don’t know if it’s water or something like that [he was spraying it up].”
The defeat extends Nigeria’s recent World Cup disappointments. The Super Eagles also failed to qualify for the 2022 tournament, marking the first time the team has missed back-to-back World Cups since their debut in 1994.
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