Monday November 17, 2025
www.thenewsdesk.ng
Super Eagles head coach, Eric Chelle, has attributed Nigeria’s elimination from the 2026 FIFA World Cup Qualifier African Playoff Tournament to alleged “voodoo” practices by the Democratic Republic of Congo during Sunday’s penalty shootout.
Nigeria were held to a 1–1 draw after regulation and extra time, before losing on penalties to DR Congo, who advanced to the intercontinental playoffs and ended the Super Eagles’ hopes of appearing at next year’s World Cup.
Speaking to reporters after the match, Chelle claimed members of DR Congo’s technical bench engaged in rituals during the shootout, saying the actions unsettled him.
“During the penalty session, the DR Congo did some voodoo every time, so this is why I was a little nervous. The Congolese bench was sprinkling something that looked like water,” Chelle said.
Nigeria took an early lead in the third minute through a deflected strike from Frank Onyeka, before Meschak Elia drew DR Congo level later in the first half. With no further goals in regulation time or extra time, the match ended 1–1 after 120 minutes.
The Congolese side eventually won on penalties to progress to the final stage of the qualifying play-offs.
Chelle, however, insisted otherwise. He claimed that members of the Congolese bench resorted to “voodoo” rituals during every penalty kick and said he saw someone in their technical area using “something water” in an attempt to jinx Nigerian players.
“During all the penalty sessions, the guy from Congo did some voodoo,” Chelle said.
“Every time, so this is why I was a little nervous after him.”
When asked what he saw the Congo guy doing, Chelle added, “Yeah, something like, I don’t know if it’s water or something like that [he was spraying it up].”
The defeat adds to Nigeria’s recent World Cup woes. The Super Eagles also failed to qualify for the 2022 tournament, marking the first time they have missed two consecutive editions since making their debut in 1994.
