Nigeria coach cries foul, alleges 'voodoo'

Nigeria coach Eric Chelle has levelled strong accusations against DR Congo following the Super Eagles' heartbreaking defeat in the CAF play-offs final on Sunday night.

The final, held at Stade Prince Héritier Moulay El Hassan, ended 1-1 after extra time before DR Congo secured a 4-3 victory on penalties.

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During the tense shootout, tempers flared over as Chelle and a member of the Congolese technical staff became involved in a physical confrontation.

After the match, Chelle claimed he suspected that a member of the Leopards’ technical team was using voodoo.

"During the penalty session, a guy from Congo did some voodoo every time, every time, so this is why I was a little nervous after him," Chelle told the media.

With their victory, Congo advance to the 2026 FIFA World Cup inter-confederation play-offs scheduled for next March.

READ | Nigeria's World Cup hopes ended by Congo

They join five other teams, one each from CONMEBOL, the OFC, and the AFC, along with two from CONCACAF, from which only two nations will qualify for the expanded 48-team World Cup.

Nigeria, meanwhile, will miss the World Cup for the second consecutive occasion after also failing to qualify for the 2022 edition in Qatar.

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2026 Fifa World Cup Dr Congo Eric Chelle Nigerian National Team Super Eagles