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Democratic Republic of Congo, on Sunday, eliminated Nigeria from the race to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup through the playoffs.

The Leopards defeated the Super Eagles 4-3 through penalty shootout to advance to the Intercontinental playoff after the full and extra time ended 1-1.

In a highly tensed continental final played in Morocco, the Super Eagles failed to defeat the Leopards and after Nigeria opened the scoring in the third minute through Frank Onyeka, the Leopards equalised also in the first half.

The Super Eagles dominated the first half but failed to make it count. However, the DR Congo dominated and controlled the game from the second half all through the thirty minutes additional time and even had a goal disallowed in the second half of extra time

The Super Eagles, it would be recalled, failed to qualify for the last World Cup in Qatar after they were undone by gaols aggregate by the Black Stars of Ghana

For failing to qualify for the next World Cup, the former African champions had made it two straight World Cups without appearance, a bad record for a team brimming with talents like the reigning African Footballer of the Year, Ademola Lookman, and his predecessor and Galatasaray hitman, Victor Osimhen.

Meanwhile, the DR Congo will now prepare for the intercontinental playoff taking place in March in Mexico.