Nigeria coach claims ‘voodoo’ by Congo staff during penalty shootout loss in World Cup qualifying

RABAT, Morocco (AP) — A Congo team staff member used voodoo during the penalty shootout, Nigeria coach Éric Chelle claimed after the African soccer power was eliminated from qualifying for the 2026 World Cup.

Congo won the African playoff final late Sunday in a penalty shootout — getting two saves from a substitute goalkeeper sent on late in extra time of a 1-1 draw — and advanced to the intercontinental playoffs in March.

Chelle was filmed during the shootout getting agitated with the Congo coaching staff and moving aggressively toward the rival technical area.

“The guy of Congo did some voodoo,” former Mali international Chelle told reporters in the postgame media mixed zone. “Every time, every time, every time, so this is why I was a little nervous (of) him.”

Asked to explain what happened, Chelle did a gesture of shaking a water bottle.

Nigeria has now failed to qualify for back-to-back World Cups despite star strikers Victor Osimhen and Ademola Lookman being in their career prime years.

Osimhen was injured in the first half Sunday and replaced at half time with the score 1-1, and Lookman also was removed in the second half.

Congo coach Sebastien Desabre swapped his goalkeepers in the 119th minute of the game with the shootout in mind, sending on Timothy Fayulu to replace Lionel Mpasi.

Fayulu saved two of Nigeria’s six spot-kicks, the second from Moses Simon and the sixth by Semi Ajayi, before Congo’s Chancel Mbemba sealed the win.

World Cup history

Fayulu’s feat echoed the most famous substitute goalkeeper in a World Cup shootout, at the 2014 tournament in Brazil.

Netherlands coach Louis van Gaal famously took off Jasper Cillessen and sent on Tim Krul to make two key saves against Costa Rica and sent the Dutch to the semifinals.

Geneva-born Fayulu is currently playing on loan from Swiss club Sion with Armenian champion Noah. He has been a regular in the UEFA Conference League this season.

FIFA makes the six-team draw on Thursday for the intercontinental playoffs. Congo is joined by Bolivia, New Caledonia, either Iraq or the United Arab Emirates and two teams from the north American region CONCACAF who finish their qualifying program Tuesday.

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