Nigeria - DR Congo: what really happened during the penalty shootout! | OneFootball

DRC-Nigeria: team manager sets the record straight after voodoo accusations

Dodo Landu & Éric Chelle / @Foot Africa

The final of the African World Cup 2026 playoff between Nigeria and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) was marked by a surprising incident. Nigerian coach Éric Sékou Chelle claimed that the Congolese team resorted to magic and voodoo during the penalty shootout.

The match ended 1-1 after regular time and extra time, before DRC clinched victory in the shootout (4-3) to qualify for the global playoff.

In an interview with the French site Onze Mondial, Éric Chelle explained that he witnessed an unusual gesture from a member of the Congolese staff during the decisive kick, which he interpreted as an act of voodoo.

DRC responds to Éric Chelle's witchcraft accusations

Dodo Landu, general manager of the Congolese team, broke his silence to set the record straight:

"During Chancel's penalty, I was praying for him to score. Immediately, the Nigerian coach thought I was doing voodoo."

He clarified that this explanation was given to the Nigerian coach, who apologized after understanding the situation:

"We explained to him that the person accused of voodoo was none other than the team manager of the DRC national team."