Nigeria’s head coach, Eric Chelle, has raised concerns about unusual conduct by a member of DR Congo’s technical team during the tense penalty shootout that decided Sunday’s World Cup playoff final in Rabat, Morocco. The Super Eagles were eliminated from the race to the 2026 FIFA World Cup after a 4–3 loss on penalties, following a 1–1 draw stretched over 120 minutes at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium. The result marks Nigeria’s second straight failure to reach the global tournament.
Addressing the media after the match, Chelle expressed frustration over what he described as repeated ritual-like gestures performed by a DR Congo staff member during the video assistant referee (VAR) review for a late penalty incident. The moment, captured in a video posted by ESPN Africa on X on Monday, November 17, shows the coach recounting the incident that unsettled him during the high-pressure shootout.
“Throughout the penalty decision, someone on their bench kept doing some kind of ritual gesture… over and over again,” Chelle said, explaining that the actions distracted him in a critical phase of the match. He demonstrated the movement to reporters, suggesting the individual appeared to be sprinkling or spraying a substance into the air, though he could not confirm exactly what it was.
While Chelle referred to the act as “voodoo”—a term often used loosely to describe traditional spiritual or ritual practices—he did not accuse DR Congo of violating any formal regulations. Instead, he emphasized that the repeated gestures contributed to the emotional tension surrounding the shootout.
The incident has sparked debate among fans and analysts, with some calling for clearer guidelines on conduct within technical areas during VAR reviews and penalty shootouts to prevent distractions or misunderstandings. Authorities have not yet commented on whether the episode will prompt any review or disciplinary action.
Source:Africa Publicity
