Cameroon Legend Explains Why Super Eagles Will Defeat DR Congo in World Cup Playoff Final
- Joseph-Antoine Bell is tipping Nigeria as slight favourites against DR Congo in the World Cup playoff final
- The Cameroon legend insists extra-time minutes against Gabon will not affect the Super Eagles against the Leopards
- The winner between Nigeria and DR Congo will qualify for the final intercontinental playoffs for a World Cup ticket
Cameroon football legend Joseph-Antoine Bell believes the Super Eagles enter Sunday’s crucial World Cup playoff final against DR Congo with a narrow but meaningful advantage.
Nigeria’s journey to this point has been anything but straightforward.
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The Super Eagles finished second in Group C with 17 points, just one point short of claiming the automatic ticket to the World Cup.
Still, their tally was enough to earn them a place among the best four second-placed teams, granting them entry into the playoffs.
In their first game in the playoffs, the Super Eagles dispatched Gabon 4-1 after extra time, with Victor Osimhen netting a brace.
Now, the three-time African champions must slug it out with DR Congo in the playoff final after the Leopards defeated Cameroon 1-0 in the second semi-final.
The decisive encounter in Rabat will determine which African side progresses to the 2026 intercontinental playoffs, the last hurdle on the road to the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
Nigeria backed to defeat DR Congo
For Bell, the equation is simple: Nigeria’s firepower gives them the edge.
“Let’s say that for me, Nigeria is a slight favourite,” he told Africa Foot.
“This team obviously has impressive attacking potential with Victor Osimhen, Ademola Lookman or Moses Simon, but it exudes real power, and defensively, it is solid.”
Despite the additional minutes played against Gabon, Bell insists that fatigue will not play a role in Sunday’s final.
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The Cameroonian legend brushed off concerns that the extended clash might leave Nigeria at a disadvantage against a DR Congo side that defeated Cameroon in regulation time.
Bell also expects a tight contest, predicting that the game will not be a goal-fest.
Nigeria’s recent performances suggest they have found their form at the right time.
The Super Eagles have scored 10 goals in their last three games heading into Sunday’s final against DR Congo.
A final step for Nigeria
While Sunday’s match is being treated like a cup final across the continent, victory will not grant automatic qualification to the 2026 World Cup.
Instead, the winner advances to the highly competitive six-team intercontinental playoffs in March 2026, where only two tickets to the global showpiece will be up for grabs, CAF Online reports.
Still, for a nation that has appeared at six World Cups and reached the Round of 16 on three occasions, the match against DR Congo represents a crucial opportunity to stay within touching distance of another appearance on football’s biggest stage.
FG hands Super Eagles big boost
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that the Nigerian federal government has promised a substantial financial reward to the Super Eagles ahead of their crucial 2026 FIFA World Cup playoff final against DR Congo.
For every goal scored against DR Congo, the team has been promised a whopping $50,000 (₦72 million).
Source: Legit.ng
