DR Congo lose to Chile as Ebola concerns force venue switch
- On Tuesday, Chile defeated the DRC 2-1 in a behind-closed-doors friendly match in Orleans, France, providing the African nation a final World Cup warm-up before its tournament debut.
- Authorities in Cadiz, Spain, blocked the original fixture as a precautionary measure due to concerns over an Ebola outbreak, forcing the match to relocate to France.
- After a goalless first half, Dario Osorio put Chile ahead in the 52nd minute and Matias Sepulveda added a second four minutes from time, before Joris Kayembe pulled one back for the Congolese side in the 88th minute.
- Coach Sebastien Desabre's squad must navigate strict United States travel requirements mandating that players and staff remain outside the DRC for 21 days and symptom-free before entering the country.
- The squad travels to Houston on Thursday before opening its Group K campaign against Portugal on June 17, followed by matches against Colombia and Uzbekistan.
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French RD Congo national coach Sebastien Desabre announced the lot with which Africans will attend the final tournament in North America.
RD Congo's sports minister, Didier Budimbu Ntubuanga, entrusted himself to the AFP regarding the fears surrounding the national team, while World 2026 opens this Thursday.
Channel News Asia
The Straits TimesDR Congo lose to Chile as Ebola concerns force venue switch
ORLEANS, France, June 9 : The Democratic Republic of Congo wrapped up a disrupted World Cup warm-up campaign with a 2-1 defeat by Chile in a behind-closed-doors friendly in Orleans on Tuesday.The match was switched to the French city and played without spectators after authorities in Cadiz, the original host
The players of the Congolese football team will face the Chileans on Tuesday 9 June in Orléans. Initially scheduled in the Spanish city of La Linea de la Concepcion, the friendly match had been cancelled due to the Ebola epidemic that is going through the DRC.
Why is DR Congo vs Chile FIFA World Cup 2026 warm-up match being played behind closed doors?
The match was set to be played in Cadiz but was blocked by local authorities as a precaution. This decision came despite DR Congo finalising preparations in Marbella after a 10-day training camp in Belgium, which included a 0-0 draw against Denmark.
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