Nigeria out of World Cup, Chelle claims Congo used voodoo in shootout | OneFootball

The elimination of Nigeria in the playoff against the Democratic Republic of Congo, decided by penalties after a 1-1 draw in regular time, had a far more explosive outcome than the sporting result.

Nigeria out of the World Cup, controversy erupts: Chelle accuses Congo of "voodoo ritual" during penalties

At the end of the match in Rabat, head coach Eric Chelle accused the opposing staff of alleged misconduct, accusing a member of the Congolese bench of performing a "voodoo ritual" during the penalty shootout.

A serious accusation, which is already making headlines worldwide.

The scene at the end of the match: high tension and separated staff

Immediately after the last penalty, Chelle reacted with sudden fury directed towards the Congolese bench. The Nigerian coach was barely restrained by some members of his national team and especially by Sébastien Desabre, the coach of the Democratic Republic of Congo, who prevented the situation from escalating.

Those present on the sidelines described moments of enormous tension, culminating in the furious protest of the Nigerian coach.

Chelle's accusation: "They were doing a voodoo ritual at every penalty"

Speaking to ESPN, Chelle explained the reason for his reaction, accusing the Congolese staff of using occult practices to influence the opposing penalty takers.

These were his words: "Throughout the penalty shootout session, a member of the Democratic Republic of Congo's staff performed a voodoo ritual on us. Every time, every time, every time... That's why I was upset with him."

Asked to elaborate on the incident, the coach added: "He was making a swinging motion with his arm. I don't know if it was water or something else, but he kept repeating the same gesture."

The Congolese federation has chosen not to comment on the accusations at the moment, focusing on celebrating their historic qualification for the final CAF zone playoffs.

Shocking elimination and controversy set to continue

The defeat of Nigeria, one of the most anticipated teams in the competition, has already caused a media storm. Chelle's accusation, unprecedented in recent African football history, risks further inflaming the sports and political debate on the behavior of teams during the most delicate phases of World Cup qualifications.

FIFA has not yet released any official statements, but the issue could be subject to further investigation in the coming hours, depending on the referee reports and available footage.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇮🇹 here.