The Democratic Republic of Congo suffered a 2–1 defeat to Chile in a World Cup warm-up match played behind closed doors in Orléans, France, on Tuesday, as the country’s preparations continue under the shadow of Ebola-related disruptions.
The fixture was originally scheduled to take place in a city in southern Spain, but was relocated after the local mayor refused to host the match due to concerns over the outbreak. It was eventually staged in France without spectators.
The World Health Organization has declared an international health emergency following the Ebola outbreak first reported on May 15 in northeastern DR Congo.
The health situation has already affected the national team’s preparations, forcing the cancellation of a planned pre-World Cup training camp in the country last month.
Despite the disruption, DR Congo are set to make their first World Cup appearance since 1974, when they competed under the name Zaire.
They will feature in Group K alongside Portugal, Colombia and Uzbekistan, with all group matches scheduled to be played in the United States and Mexico.
The United States has imposed a travel restriction preventing non-American citizens who have been in DR Congo within the previous 21 days from entering the country due to the outbreak. However, the national team is not expected to be affected, as the squad has been based in Europe for several weeks.
DR Congo continue their preparations as they aim to make an impact on their long-awaited return to the world stage despite ongoing health and logistical challenges.
