Nigeria’s World Cup dream slipped away in dramatic and chaotic fashion, but the final whistle wasn’t the only thing echoing around the stadium.
After a tense penalty shoot-out loss to DR Congo, head coach Eric Chelle stirred up fresh controversy by claiming the opposing bench had been “practising voodoo” throughout the shoot-out.
It was the kind of post-match twist nobody quite saw coming.
Heartbreak in a Shoot-Out
After a 1-1 stalemate over 120 minutes, the African play-off finale went straight to penalties.
DR Congo kept their nerve to edge out a 4-3 victory, booking their ticket to the intercontinental play-offs in March.
For Nigeria, the defeat brought a bitter ending — their second straight failure to reach the men’s World Cup, after already missing Qatar 2022.
Frank Onyeka had fired the Super Eagles into an early lead inside three minutes, but DR Congo levelled before the break through Meschack Elia.
What followed was a tight, edgy contest that never quite settled, especially once Victor Osimhen was forced off at half-time with an injury.
The Moment Everything Boiled Over
Just before the decisive penalty was taken, social media cameras caught Chelle pushing toward the DR Congo coaching area in visible anger.
Arms out, voice raised, and at one point grabbing a water bottle, he looked moments away from making physical contact before his own staff pulled him back.
Even after Chancel Mbemba struck the winning penalty — his second clutch moment in just days — Chelle again surged toward the opposite bench, only to be restrained all over again.
Chelle Explains His Outburst
Asked afterwards what had triggered his fury, Chelle didn’t mince words.
According to him, someone on the DR Congo bench had been repeatedly making ritual-like gestures during each Nigerian penalty.
He described the actions with a sweeping movement of his right arm and admitted the whole scene set him on edge.
“During the entire penalty shootout, the guy from DR Congo was doing voodoo.
Every time, every time,” he insisted. “That’s why I got a bit nervous with him.
I don’t know if it was water or something.”
A DR Congo representative later denied the accusations outright, calling them unfounded.
Nigeria’s Painful Repeat
Missing out on another World Cup cuts deep for a nation that has historically been a regular presence on the global stage.
Since their first appearance in 1994, Nigeria have featured in six tournaments — more than most African nations except Cameroon, Morocco, and Tunisia.
But this time, once again, the journey ends early.
DR Congo March On
While Super Eagles fans struggle with disappointment, DR Congo now look ahead to the intercontinental play-offs in March.
They join Bolivia and New Caledonia in the early confirmed group, with Asia’s slot set to come from either Iraq or the UAE, and two CONCACAF sides also waiting to join the mix.
Two World Cup tickets will be up for grabs — and DR Congo have given themselves a fighting chance.
What Comes Next?
Nigeria will now shift into a period of reflection, pressure, and rebuilding.
A new qualification cycle is on the horizon, questions around injuries and squad evolution will surface, and Chelle himself may face scrutiny over both the result and his explosive end-of-match reaction.
For DR Congo, however, the dream continues — and March’s play-offs could mark their biggest opportunity in decades.
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