DR Congo Official Breaks Silence After Eric Chelle’s Voodoo Accusation During Nigeria’s World Cup Playoff Defeat

DR Congo’s team manager, Dodo Landu, has spoken out after finding himself at the centre of an unexpected storm during Sunday’s World Cup playoff final, insisting he was wrongly accused by Nigeria’s head coach, Eric Chelle, in the tense moments that decided the match.

Naija News reports that the two nations were locked at 1-1 after a draining 120 minutes and were forced into a penalty shootout that eventually ended 4-3 in favour of the Congolese side.

As the players lined up for the final kicks, emotions were stretched thin on both benches. It was at that point that Landu noticed Chelle staring him down, convinced that the Congolese official was trying to influence the outcome spiritually.

When Semi Ajayi’s penalty was saved and Chancel Mbemba stepped up for the potential winner, Landu quietly said a prayer for his captain. That moment triggered the confrontation. Chelle rushed forward after the deciding goal, furious and pointing in Landu’s direction before security and staff held him back.

Speaking after the dust had settled, Landu dismissed the claims as completely unfounded. He said he had simply reacted like anyone else placed in such a nerve-racking situation.

“During Chancel’s penalty kick, I was praying for him to score. Immediately, the Nigerian coach thought I was performing voodoo,” Landu said as quoted by Soccernet.

He described the accusation as surprising and unnecessary, noting that his gestures were nothing more than emotional support for his team.

The victory sends DR Congo to next year’s intercontinental playoffs, while Nigeria’s quest for a place at the 2026 World Cup has come to an abrupt end. Ajayi’s missed effort proved costly, allowing Mbemba to score the decisive kick that sparked wild celebrations among the Congolese players.

After reviewing the incident, Chelle apologised publicly and acknowledged that the strain of the moment influenced his reaction. He reaffirmed his respect for DR Congo’s staff and expressed regret over the touchline outburst.

Nigeria will now turn their attention to the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, starting in December. The Super Eagles were runners-up at the last tournament in Côte d’Ivoire and hope to go one better, although a challenging group featuring Tunisia, Uganda and Tanzania awaits them.

Heavyweights such as Senegal, Morocco, Côte d’Ivoire, Egypt and Algeria are also expected to be major threats in the hunt for the title.