In a night that will probably be talked about for years in African football, DR Congo goalkeeper Timothy Fayulu turned into an unlikely hero after saving two penalties to knock Nigeria out of the race for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. DR Congo won 2-1 (4-3 on penalties) in Rabat after a tense 1-1 draw that dragged into extra time. Fayulu was even brought on in the 120th minute just for the shootout, which already felt like a gamble on its own.
What made the whole thing even stranger was the keeper’s confession before the match. Sources close to Softfootball revealed that Fayulu reportedly told head coach Sébastien Desabre that he’d been having a dream, repeatedly, where the game went to penalties, and he somehow knew exactly where Nigeria’s players would place their shots.
Whether people believed him or not, that dream played out almost exactly. He stopped efforts from Moses Simon and Semi Ajayi, while Calvin Bassey also missed his attempt.
Fayulu, who is normally DR Congo’s second-choice keeper and plays club football with FC Noah in Armenia, ended up making the coaching staff look like geniuses. Captain Chancel Mbemba then calmly scored the final penalty to secure Congo’s place in the inter-confederation playoffs coming up in March 2026.
The heartbreak on the Nigerian side was obvious. After the match, Super Eagles coach Eric Chelle added fuel to the drama with a controversial accusation, claiming that during the penalty shoot-out, the players of Congo did some voodoo. His comments didn’t sit well with many people and stirred a wave of criticism, but they showed just how painful the loss was for Nigeria.
Also speaking to the media after their victory, DR Congo manager Sébastien Desabre expressed himself in the press conference, praising his team for a deserved victory, as revealed by DR Congo via their official X account.
He said:
We are evolving in a healthy context, which puts the players in the best conditions to perform. I have always been convinced that my team was capable of being at this level.
It’s difficult to start a match while trailing 1-0. But the spirit of the group remained high, and we chose to try to control the match.
We must congratulate the players, but also all those who work around the team.
For DR Congo, previously known as Zaire, whose last World Cup appearance was back in 1974, this win carries massive historical weight. And for Fayulu, the man who claimed he saw it all in a dream, the moment has now pushed him straight into African football folklore.
