DR Congo team manager Dodo Landu has pushed back strongly against claims of “voodoo” after Nigeria’s World Cup playoff defeat, insisting he was merely praying when Super Eagles coach Eric Chelle confronted him during Sunday’s tense penalty shootout in Rabat.
The incident escalated at the height of Nigeria’s 4-3 loss on spot-kicks, with Chelle reacting angrily to Landu’s touchline gestures as emotions boiled over.
The Super Eagles crashed out after a gruelling 1-1 draw in normal time, with Semi Ajayi’s miss and Chancel Mbemba’s decisive conversion ending Nigeria’s qualification hopes in the shootouts.
But as players braced for the final spot-kick, Chelle spotted Landu pacing, gesturing and muttering near the touchline.
Interpreting the behaviour as an attempt to influence the shootout spiritually, Chelle reacted aggressively and had to be restrained when Mbemba’s effort hit the net.
Landu says he was only praying
Speaking after the game, Landu rejected any suggestion of foul play, insisting his actions were purely emotional.
“During Chancel’s penalty, I was praying for him to score. Immediately, the Nigerian coach thought I was performing voodoo,” he explained, dismissing the claim as a misunderstanding rooted in tension.
Chelle has since apologised for the confrontation, acknowledging that the pressure of the moment clouded his judgment and reaffirming his respect for DR Congo’s staff.
Nigeria shifts focus to AFCON 2025
With the World Cup dream gone, Chelle now redirects operational priorities toward the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco.
Nigeria finished as runners-up in Côte d’Ivoire and will need a stronger execution strategy to navigate a group featuring Tunisia, Uganda and Tanzania.
Heavyweights Senegal, Egypt, Algeria, Morocco, and Côte d’Ivoire also remain key competitors as the Super Eagles attempt to reset and deliver results.
