- Nigeria coach Eric Chelle claims a DR Congo staff member used black magic during the penalty shootout
- DR Congo beat Nigeria on penalties after a 1-1 draw in regulation and extra time
- Chancel Mbemba scored the winning penalty to send Congo to the Intercontinental playoffs
Nigeria’s National Men’s Football Team head coach, Eric Chelle, has alleged that a member of the Democratic Republic of Congo’s team used black magic during their match, contributing to the Leopards’ victory over Nigeria.
DR Congo defeated Nigeria on penalties after their CAF 2026 FIFA World Cup Playoff Final ended 1-1 following regular time and extra time. Congo captain Chancel Mbemba scored the decisive penalty, securing their place in the Intercontinental playoff tournament.
Speaking to the media after the defeat—which ended Nigeria’s hopes of qualifying for next year’s World Cup—team captain William Troost-Ekong said the players were “devastated.”
Chelle explained that he got into a brief physical confrontation on the sidelines during the penalty shootout because he believed a member of Congo’s technical team was using voodoo to influence the outcome.
“During the penalty session, a guy from Congo was doing some voodoo every single time… so that’s why I became a bit agitated with him,” Chelle stated.
