Nigeria’s World Cup playoff loss to DR Congo has taken a dramatic twist after Super Eagles coach Eric Chelle accused the Congolese bench of performing “voodoo” during the penalty shootout.
Chelle said he noticed a DR Congo staff member making “ritual-like gestures” before the kicks, admitting it made him uneasy.
“During the penalty session, the guy from Congo did some voodoo. That’s why I was a little nervous,” he told reporters after the game.
The match in Rabat ended 1-1 after extra time before DR Congo won 4-3 on penalties. Nigeria opened the scoring through Frank Onyeka, but Meschack Elia pulled Congo level.
DR Congo coach Sebastien Desabre brushed off the allegations and chose instead to celebrate his team’s resilience.
The result sends DR Congo into the inter-confederation playoffs, while Nigeria miss their second straight World Cup.
