Victor Ikpeba reflects on Congo’s well-deserved victory over Nigeria

Victor Ikpeba, a former Nigerian international, believes the Democratic Republic of Congo earned their 4-3 win on penalties over the Super Eagles in the 2026 FIFA World Cup African playoffs.

The match, intense from the start, saw Nigeria take an early lead through Frank Onyeka, but Meschak Elia pulled one back for Congo after a defensive slip.

Ikpeba emphasized that Congo took control as the match progressed, highlighting their dominance in the second half and extra time. He pointed out, “Physically the Super Eagles didn’t turn up. They capitulated totally in the second half. The Congolese were the better side in the second half and extra time. They were physically stronger.”

He lamented that while Nigeria showed effort in their previous match against Gabon, they struggled to keep the pace against Congo.

Reflecting on the disappointment, Ikpeba added, “It’s a setback for this generation, so much was expected from these boys especially if you look at the talents in the team. They showed a lot of passion and determination at the last AFCON. We can not take that away from them.”

He credited Congo’s performance as deserving of the win and hoped Nigeria would learn from the experience.