Former Super Eagles striker Yakubu Ayegbeni has sharply criticised coach Eric Chelle. Chelle recently claimed ‘voodoo’ influenced Nigeria’s failure to qualify for the 2026 World Cup. Ayegbeni stated that these comments have tarnished Nigeria’s reputation.
Nigeria exited the competition following a tense CAF play-off final. The match took place in Rabat. DR Congo ultimately secured victory after a penalty shootout. Chancel Mbemba scored the decisive spot-kick. He had previously secured their semi-final win against Cameroon, sealing Congo’s advancement.
Ayegbeni, a Premier League veteran with Everton and Portsmouth, dismissed Chelle’s explanation. He called it embarrassing and completely out of touch.
“If Voodoo were truly effective, an African country would have won the World Cup long ago,” Ayegbeni told SportsCasting.
Ayegbeni continued, stating Chelle should have congratulated DR Congo. Instead, he brought shame upon Nigeria. “He is a shame to Nigeria,” Ayegbeni remarked about a coach blaming voodoo. He further commented on the match itself. “We lost on penalties. He even tried to fight someone, needing to be pulled back. This reflects poorly on him and Nigeria. Our penalties were simply poor. The pressure overwhelmed the players.”
Nigeria’s difficulties began early in the game. Calvin Bassey and Moses Simon both missed their initial penalty attempts. Later, during sudden-death, Timothy Fayulu saved Semi Ajayi’s effort.
The match went to penalties after a dramatic regulation period. Frank Onyeka initially put Nigeria ahead with a deflected strike. However, Meschak Elia capitalized on a mistake by Wilfried Ndidi. He leveled the score for Congo before halftime.
DR Congo’s last World Cup appearance was in 1974, then known as Zaire. This recent victory sends them to the inter-continental play-offs in March. There, they will compete against teams like Bolivia and New Caledonia. DR Congo aims for a long-awaited return to football’s biggest stage.
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