Nigeria’s head coach Éric Chelle made explosive allegations following his team’s devastating penalty shootout defeat to DR Congo in the African FIFA World Cup playoff final, claiming a member of the Congolese technical staff engaged in “voodoo” practices during the spot-kicks.
The Super Eagles suffered a heartbreaking 4-3 penalty defeat after a 1-1 draw over 120 minutes at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium in Rabat on Sunday night. The loss marked the end of Nigeria’s World Cup qualifying campaign and means the three-time African champions will miss their second consecutive FIFA World Cup.
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In a post-match interview with ESPN Africa that has since gone viral, Chelle explained his visible frustration and the heated confrontation with the DR Congo bench that erupted immediately after the final penalty.
“During the penalty session, a guy from Congo did some voodoo. Every time, every time, every time, so this is why I was a little bit nervous after him,” the former Mali head coach told reporters in the mixed zone.
When pressed to elaborate on what he witnessed, Chelle made a throwing gesture with his hands. “Something like that, I don’t know if it’s water or something like that,” he said, suggesting the staff member was sprinkling or throwing a substance during each Nigerian penalty attempt.
Video footage captured Chelle attempting to confront the DR Congo staff, with officials from both teams having to intervene to separate the benches and restore order before Chancel Mbemba took the decisive kick.
The match itself lived up to its billing as a World Cup playoff final. Nigeria took an early lead through Frank Onyeka’s deflected strike, giving the Super Eagles hope of reaching the intercontinental playoffs. However, DR Congo responded before halftime when Meschack Elia capitalized on a mistake from Wilfried Ndidi to level the scores at 1-1.
The Leopards dominated possession and created the better chances in the second half and extra time, forcing Nigeria goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali into several crucial saves. But neither side could find a winner, sending the contest to the dreaded penalty shootout.
The shootout proved disastrous for Nigeria from the outset. Calvin Bassey and Moses Simon both missed their opening two spot-kicks, while DR Congo’s Noah Sadiki became the first to score. Nwabali kept his team’s hopes alive with two brilliant saves, but Semi Ajayi’s miss in sudden death opened the door for Mbemba to seal the victory and send DR Congo through.
Chelle’s “voodoo” allegations have ignited fierce debate on social media, with many Nigerian fans dismissing the claims as an attempt to deflect from tactical shortcomings and disappointing team performance.
“Why didn’t they use voodoo to beat Ivory Coast at the last AFCON to reach the final? Why didn’t they use voodoo to qualify directly ahead of Senegal?” wrote one user on social media platform X, questioning the logic of the accusation.
Others criticized the coach more directly, with some suggesting the comments were a distraction from poor tactical decisions, including the controversial halftime substitution of star striker Victor Osimhen.
A DR Congo representative firmly denied the allegations when contacted by media outlets.
The defeat adds mounting pressure on Chelle, who took charge of the Super Eagles earlier this year. In his 14 games at the helm, he has recorded eight wins, three draws, and three defeats. However, this latest loss—combined with the sensational nature of his post-match comments—has intensified questions about his suitability for the role.
Nigeria’s journey to the playoff final was itself dramatic. After a disappointing qualifying campaign that saw them finish second in their group behind South Africa, the Super Eagles needed a 4-0 thrashing of Benin in their final group match to sneak into the playoffs. They then defeated Gabon 4-1 in extra time in the semi-final to reach Sunday’s showdown.
What’s Next
For DR Congo, the victory keeps their World Cup dream alive. The Leopards, who last appeared at a World Cup in 1974 as Zaire, will advance to the intercontinental playoffs in March 2026. There, six teams will compete for the final two spots at the expanded 48-team tournament to be held in the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
Ironically, DR Congo secured their playoff spot after suffering a last-minute defeat to Senegal at home in their final group match, which cost them top spot in the group they had led for most of the campaign.
For Nigeria and Chelle, attention now shifts to the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, where the coach will face intense pressure to prove he can lead the Super Eagles back to success and restore faith in his management of one of African football’s powerhouse nations.
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