Cape Verde football fans accuse Nigeria of using witchcraft to beat them in World Cup qualifier

CAPE Verde football fans have attributed their national team's recent loss to Nigeria in a World Cup qualifier involving the conceding of a bizarre second half own goal as being down to supernatural forces that cannot be explained.

Yesterday, makeshift Super Eagles team depleted by a variety of Covid-19 complications managed to steal a 2-1 win away to Cape Verde. Seven British-based players had to leave camp in fulfilment of the agreement between their clubs and the Nigerian Football Federation (NFF) barring them from featuring in the qualifier as Cape Verde is on the UK’s red list of countries at high risk from Covid-19, meaning that anyone who travels there must isolate for 10 days upon return.

In the 19th minute, the home team the Blue Sharks took the lead after Nigerian goalkeeper Maduka Okoye was caught out at his near post. However, 10 minutes later, Napoli striker Victor Osimhen equalised after a lapse in the Cape Verdian defence , setting  the Super Eagles on their way for a nice won.

Nigeria scored the winner after 76 minutes when defender Kenny Rocha Santos tried to pass the ball back to his goalkeeper but it wronged-footed Vezinha in goal and crossed the goal line to give the Super Eagles the lead. Cape Verde football fans have described it as something else, saying it is reminiscent of the dark magic seen in Nigerian movies.

According to football website Owngoal, one Cape Verde fan said: "How can you explain that a player would play the ball over his goalkeeper's head when he is not under any pressure. We see these things in Nigerian movies, it is witchcraft."

Another fan added: "Santos hardly ever passes the ball back, so what made him do it? It must be some forces outside the pitch which you see in Nigerian movies."