By Wilson Adekumola
DR Congo star Noah Sadiki has revealed that his team had a clear game plan for containing Super Eagles’ talisman Victor Osimhen, believing that keeping him quiet would boost their chances of victory.
The DR Congolese advanced to the Intercontinental playoffs for the 2026 FIFA World Cup after edging the Super Eagles 4-3 in a tense penalty shootout, following a 1-1 draw in regulation and extra time.
Osimhen, who had been expected to shine after his 4-1 performance against Gabon, was forced off the pitch at halftime due to injury.
His absence left Nigeria struggling to create scoring opportunities, allowing DR Congo to dominate both the second half and extra time.
Speaking to Brila FM after the match, Sadiki said: “We know Osimhen is a big player also there are other top players in the Nigerian team but we knew if we can keep Osimhen quiet we have a chance of winning the game.”
The setback means Osimhen will miss out on the World Cup once again, having also been absent from the 2022 edition. He will now set his sights on the 2030 tournament, when he will be 31 years old.
Off the pitch, Osimhen remains in contention for the 2025 African Player of the Year award, competing with Mohamed Salah and Achraf Hakimi.
For DR Congo, the victory offers a chance to make only their second World Cup appearance, the first coming in 1974 when the nation was known as Zaire.
Their debut campaign ended in disappointment, losing all group matches 9-0 to Yugoslavia, 3-0 to Brazil, and 2-0 to Scotland.
