Frontier Sports Desk
Rabat, Morocco.
Nigeria’s hopes of reaching the 2026 FIFA World Cup were shattered on Sunday night after the Super Eagles fell 4–3 to the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) in a tense penalty shootout, ending their CAF playoff tie 1–1 after extra time at a rain-soaked Stade Ibn Battouta. The result sends DRC to the inter-confederation playoffs in March 2026 and consigns Nigeria to a second straight World Cup absence since their last appearance in Russia in 2018.
Nigeria, ranked far above their opponents and widely seen as favorites, made a blistering start. Frank Onyeka put them ahead in the third minute when his shot took a wicked deflection past goalkeeper Lionel Mpasi, sparking early celebrations among the Nigerian supporters. But DRC hit back in the 32nd minute through a composed finish from Meschack Elia, restoring parity and eventually forcing a draining extra-time period that failed to produce a winner.
The shootout delivered the night’s defining drama. DRC substitute goalkeeper Timothy Fayulu turned hero after saving two Nigerian penalties, shifting momentum decisively in his team’s favor. With four saves and one miss recorded across both sides, the stage fell to DRC captain Chancel Mbemba, who coolly buried the decisive penalty—ignoring a water bottle hurled from the stands and the pounding rain—to seal a historic win and move his team within reach of their first World Cup appearance since competing as Zaire in 1974.
But the night took an even stranger turn after the final whistle. Nigeria head coach Eric Chelle—who had overseen four wins and two draws in competitive matches since his appointment—sparked a confrontation with DRC technical staff, including head coach Sébastien Desabre, before being restrained by his own assistants. In the mixed zone, Chelle made an extraordinary accusation, alleging that DRC players used “voodoo” during the shootout.
“During the penalty shootout, they did some voodoo,” Chelle said, gesturing as he recounted seeing a DRC staffer “sprinkling or shaking something” each time a Nigerian player stepped up.
“I don’t know if it was water or something else. That is why I was a bit nervous.” He had earlier warned that the match would be “very difficult in Morocco.”
The defeat marks a new low in a troubled qualifying campaign for the three-time African champions, who had never missed back-to-back World Cups since their 1994 debut.
Goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali, under pressure for his role in the shootout, later issued a public apology, accepting responsibility for the heartbreaking exit.
For DRC, the victory keeps alive hopes of earning Africa an additional berth at the expanded 2026 finals—potentially raising the continent’s representation from nine to ten teams should they succeed in the global playoffs.
As reactions pour in across the continent, Chelle’s sensational “voodoo” claims are fueling heated debate, mixing the mystique of African football folklore with the raw emotion of Nigeria’s unfulfilled World Cup dream.