By Dayo Awoniyi
Nigeria’s bid to return to the FIFA World Cup ended in heartbreak on Sunday as the Democratic Republic of Congo edged the Super Eagles 4–3 on penalties after a tense 1–1 draw in Rabat.
The Super Eagles made an ideal start, forcing a Congolese own goal through sustained early pressure to take the lead. But the Leopards responded with resolve, drawing level shortly before halftime through Ella to shift the momentum and set up a gripping contest.
Both sides created opportunities through the second half and extra time, but neither could find a decisive breakthrough as nerves tightened and the stakes grew heavier.
The match eventually went to a penalty shootout, where Nigeria—three-time African champions— faltered with a costly miss in the final round. DR Congo kept their composure, converting the deciding kick to seal a famous victory and spark jubilant celebrations.
The win sends the Leopards to the FIFA Intercontinental Playoff scheduled for March 2026 in Mexico, keeping their World Cup hopes alive. For Nigeria, the defeat prolongs a painful absence from the global stage and is likely to intensify scrutiny of the national team’s direction and management.
The result reverberated across African football on Sunday night—an affirmation of DR Congo’s resurgence and a bitter blow to millions of Nigerian supporters.
Samuel Ahmadu is a distinguished multimedia journalist and women's football expert with over 15 years of experience in the industry. On the back of domestic engagement since 2008, he began his international career journey at Goal.com in February 2014, where he served as an African women's football correspondent for nearly eight years. During his tenure at Goal.com, Samuel covered major events such as three Women's Africa Cup of Nations (2016, 2018, 2022) and the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup in Canada plus 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia. His work at Goal.com earned him widespread acclaim, particularly for his in-depth profiles of African football stars, notably Asisat Oshoala, whose rise he documented from her early years to her breakthrough at the FIFA U20 Women's World Cup in 2014. Prior to his role at Goal.com, Samuel freelanced for various print and broadcast media outlets in Nigeria, including Graphics Newspaper, Radio Nigeria, Grace FM, and Savid Newspaper. His extensive experience and expertise led to his appointment to the Nigeria Football Federation's Standing Committee on Women's Football Development from 2016 to 2018. Since February 2018, Samuel has been the Social Media Manager for Nigeria's women's national teams.In 2019, Samuel joined the Confederation of African Football (CAF) as a women's football content contributor and was promoted to Women's Football Editor in 2021. His contributions to women's football continued as he worked as a Media Consultant for Content Creation and Editorials at the 2022 CAF Women's Champions League. Currently, Samuel also serves as the spokesman for the Nigeria Women Football League, further solidifying his influence and dedication to the growth of women's football in Africa.
