Nigeria’s quest for a place at the 2026 FIFA World Cup came to a painful halt on Sunday night, as the Super Eagles were edged out in a nerve-shredding penalty shootout by DR Congo in Rabat, Morocco.

After a tense 1-1 draw stretched through 120 minutes, the Congolese sealed a 4-3 victory from the spot to book their ticket to the intercontinental playoff, leaving Nigeria to miss a second consecutive World Cup.

The night had begun perfectly for Nigeria. Just three minutes into the contest, Frank Onyeka finished off a slick team move to hand the Super Eagles an early advantage and send their supporters into raptures. But DR Congo gradually grew in confidence, and their persistence paid off shortly after the half-hour mark. Substitute Meschack Elia reacted quickest to a defensive lapse as Nigeria struggled to play out from the back, slotting home the equalizer.

The leveller shifted the tone of the match. What followed was a tight, tactical battle marked by half-chances and moments of individual brilliance. Goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali kept Nigeria in the contest with several outstanding saves, including a crucial extra-time stop to thwart Chancel Mbemba. On the opposite end, Nigeria’s Tolu Arokodare came close to restoring the lead but headed narrowly over from point-blank range.

With neither side able to find a breakthrough, the match inevitably marched toward penalties—a stage where emotions swung wildly. Nigeria faltered early as Calvin Bassey blazed his kick over the bar and Moses Simon saw his attempt saved. Nwabali, however, revived hope with two brilliant stops to pull the Super Eagles back into contention.

But in sudden death, Semi Ajayi’s effort was pushed away by Timothy Fayulu, opening the door for DR Congo’s captain, Chancel Mbemba. The defender stepped up with authority, hammering his penalty high into the roof of the net to seal the victory and ignite jubilant celebrations among the Congolese players and fans.

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For Nigeria, it was a night of frustration and heartbreak—another World Cup dream slipping away at the final hurdle. DR Congo, meanwhile, marches on with renewed belief as they prepare for the intercontinental playoff.