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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Sport
Yara El-Shaboury

Nigeria left to blame ‘voodoo’ after dramatic playoff defeat by DR Congo

Nigeria DR Congo Congo Chancel Mbemba Sébastien Desabre the Super Eagles Stanley Nwabali
DR Congo players celebrate after beating Nigeria to advance to the inter-confederation playoffs in March.
DR Congo players celebrate after beating Nigeria to advance to the inter-confederation playoffs in March. Photograph: Jalal Morchidi/EPA

Thirty-one years ago Nigeria burst on to the global stage in a golden summer at the 1994 World Cup in the US, impressing with a do-or-die attitude that helped them top their group and come within two minutes of reaching the quarter-finals by beating Italy. But the Super Eagles will not be returning to North American soil for next summer’s tournament – and they are not blaming their shooting boots.

After a fraught and dramatic continental playoff final on Sunday, where Nigeria were eliminated by DR Congo on penalties, the Super Eagles manager, Éric Chelle, said that his team had been defeated by “voodoo”.

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