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 Sebastien 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.