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[quote]Nigeria coach, Eric Chelle, has alleged that a DR Congo staff member engaged in “voodoo” during the penalty shootout of Sunday’s World Cup playoff in Rabat, where the Super Eagles were knocked out of the race for the 2026 tournament.

The term voodoo is commonly used to describe a range of traditional spiritual or ritual practices, although it is frequently applied inaccurately or in a misleading way in sporting conversations.

Players, coaches, or fans sometimes claim that opponents use it to influence the outcome of a match, suggesting that supernatural forces rather than skill or strategy were responsible for the result.

Nigeria’s campaign ended in a 4–3 defeat on penalties after the match finished 1–1 across 120 minutes at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium.

The loss means the Super Eagles will miss the World Cup for the second consecutive year.

In a video posted by ESPN Africa on X on Monday, which showed Chelle speaking to journalists after the match, Chelle said he reacted out of frustration after witnessing repeated gestures from a member of DR Congo’s technical area during the video assistant referee review for a penalty incident.

“During all the penalty decision, a guy of Congo did some voodoo… Every time, every time, every time. So this is why I was a little nervous after him,” he said.

When asked to explain what he saw, Chelle added while gesturing: “Something like that. I don’t know if it’s water or something like that.”

The claims could not be independently verified.

PUNCH Online reports that Nigeria had taken an early lead through Frank Onyeka in the third minute before M. Elia drew DR Congo level in the 32nd minute.

Both sides created chances in extra time but neither team found a winner.

The shootout swung back and forth.

Calvin Bassey and Moses Simon failed to convert Nigeria’s early kicks, while Nwabali saved DR Congo’s first attempt to keep the contest balanced.

Akor Adams’ effort kept Nigeria in contention before DR Congo scored their fourth penalty to seal the 4–3 win.

The result sends DR Congo into the intercontinental playoff for a chance to secure one of the remaining tickets to the expanded 48-team World Cup scheduled to hold in the United States, Canada and Mexico.

Nigeria had reached the final after a dramatic 4–1 extra-time win over Gabon in Thursday’s semi-final, while DR Congo defeated Cameroon 1–0 to book their place.

The Leopards now await their playoff opponent as their qualification bid continues, while the Super Eagles’ hopes ended in painful fashion in Rabat.

(𝐕𝐈𝐃𝐄𝐎) 𝐖𝐂𝐐: 𝐂𝐡𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐞 𝐜𝐥𝐚𝐢𝐦𝐬 𝐃𝐑 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐠𝐨 𝐨𝐟𝐟𝐢𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐮𝐬𝐞𝐝 𝐯𝐨𝐨𝐝𝐨𝐨 𝐝𝐮𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐩𝐞𝐧𝐚𝐥𝐭𝐲 𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐨𝐭𝐨𝐮𝐭

“During all the penalty decision, a guy of Congo did some voodoo… Every time, every time, every time. So this is why I was a little… pic.twitter.com/ODBokW0EUk

— Punch Newspapers (@MobilePunch) November 17, 2025

You better leave voodoo out of this matter.
You tried your best.
You inherited a wobbling and fumbling team.
NFF should retain your contract and allow you to start from the scratch without interference.
Look inward into the home base players to get the best.
Few foreign base players to blend the team.
Start playing credible friendlies, and start preparing early for future competitions.
Nigeria must regain it's lost glory.

You don try. I won’t blame you for our loss. But please don’t argue that one hocus-pocus witchy practices did the magic for them

Abeg abeg
Stop it! Can you just listen to yourself?
We lost the game. We move but don't give us that voodoo bull crap. It's a lame excuse.

The coach should be embarrassed for saying such nonsense.

The team became demoralised without Osimhen, while Congo defence were relieved.

Why was he substituted in the 1st place.

Why can't they go with baba Ijebu, Lalude, Abija, Alapini osa, Abeejoye, Toogun, Latosa. Bassey balloned, Moses Simon played lamely, Ajayi's was weak. We missed the opportunity, when we failed to beat South Africa.

The reality is whenever Eric Chelle loses, his head gets so hot and he starts seeing and saying things. That's why they were pouring water on his head when his team lost in the last AFCON.

yinkus6750:
You better leave voodoo out of this matter.
You tried your best.
You inherited a wobbling and fumbling team.
NFF should retain your contract and allow you to start from the scratch without interference.
Look inward into the home base players to get the best.
Few foreign base players to blend the team.
Start playing credible friendlies, and start preparing early for future competitions.
Nigeria must regain it's lost glory.

There is no difference between Chelle and Finidi. Osimhen's availability and fighting spirit made him look like he knew what he was doing. But when breeze blew, fowl n*ash opened. The questions are many: What has been his impact in improving how Super Eagles play since he took over? Did he prepare for possibility of penalty shootout in that match because it didn't look the team trained adequately for it.

You lost my guy stop with the bullshizzle

Forget about voodoo. The super eagles were not good enough. Voodoo does not work in football. Let them use the voodoo against strong teams like Brazil, France and Argentina and see if it will work.

DR Congo staff member engaged in “voodoo” during the penalty shootout of Sunday’s World

That a failure mindset, juju no Dey football

When you are incompetent, you look for excuse to justify your failure

did they use juju in the second half?

Failed useless coach. Na voodoo carry you go play playoffs? If you were competent shouldn't you have topped your initial group?

Did they also used voodoo in equalizing and performing better than Super Eagles who were unserious from the beginning of the WC qualifer?

This is very embarrassing

If voodoo dey work for football then many African countries for don win World cup by now.

Shame on the Nigerian witches/wizards then. Na only to help politicians win election dem sabi. Nothing to advance the country forward.

Okay, am going to tell us a story...gather round

England used to do badly in football penalties. Infact, before their match against Argentina in france 98, where they got knocked out, they DID NOT PRACTICE TAKING PENALTIES...except the then main England striker Shearer. Also, they got knocked out in Euro 96, on home soil...via penalties.

One of the players who missed penalties in 1996 was a certain Gareth Southgate. As you all know he became coach of the senior national side. One thing he did was to not only ensure his players practiced penalites, but also were psychologically prepared to take penalties. Results were not immediate (remember Euro 2020)..but by 2024, when he left, England had mastered penalty shootouts well well.

It's obvious we haven't mastered penalty shootouts at all. (and Chelle is a francophone African, and one thing about francophone coutries is that belief in juju runs riot)...and that is something we need to fix now...or else we won't see world cup for another generation again.

Why them nor use voodoo qualify automatically, maybe them go use am win the world cup

Wow 😯

A theory of the Super Chicken Coach will sell faster in the gullible community‼️

But count me out.

What an admission of failure for a country with the largest Churches who cannot neutralize voodoo of a small tiny country❓

Which yeye voodoo? Can't we do the Vodoo too to counter their Voddoo?

If voodoo works in football, African countries should be winning all world cups.

Make Dem employ Okaeha make him take us to the next worlds cup

After losing na voodoo person go dey think now. It's possible based on we African.

Oga,aside the voodoo,the better team won,they outplayed us completely in the second half and extra time,we were just defending while they were attacking.....this is a new low for Nigeria!I am still pained,who does that?when you need to win.

This is exactly how to know failures.

Instead of taking the blame they're looking for what to put the blame on. Foolish coach

Omo make he rest u score first why not burial the game
Na ndidi and iwobi u wan use win world cup Chukwueze I don't even know he dey match Poolman nko
Oshimen was just playing with 3 players and the others are sack of potatoes
I would have been angry if Congo no win us look at their marking the aggressiveness and hunger was there

GanagiBitrus:
The team became demoralised without Osimhen, while Congo defence were relieved.

Why was he substituted in the 1st place.

Substitute Osimeh may be part of the juju