Nigeria Denounces Voodoo in World Cup Elimination
Nigeria’s coach, Eric Chelle, has expressed his frustration after his team’s defeat in the penalty shootout against the Democratic Republic of Congo, which left them out of the intercontinental play-offs for the 2026 World Cup. Chelle accused the Congolese coaching staff of resorting to voodoo practices during the penalty shootout. The tension was palpable at the end of the match, reaching a point where Chelle had to be restrained to avoid a confrontation with members of the opposing coaching staff. The Nigerian coach explained to the media that the behavior of his opponents was the trigger for his discomfort.The Democratic Republic of Congo secured its place in the international play-offs after defeating Nigeria in the penalty shootout with a score of 4-3, after the match ended in a one-goal draw. Goalkeeper Lionel Mpasi-Nzau was key, stopping two penalties and contributing to his team’s victory. Nigeria, with three African Cup of Nations titles to its name, participated in six consecutive World Cup editions, from 1994 to 2018. For its part, if the Democratic Republic of Congo manages to overcome the repechage, it would be its second participation in a World Cup, after its debut as Zaire in the 1974 tournament.“During the entire penalty shootout, a person from Congo performed voodoo. They had water or something similar and were throwing it, so I got very nervous,” he said.
Eric Chelle
