▲ DR Congo national team players
The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), set to make its first FIFA World Cup appearance in 52 years, suffered a defeat against Chile in a friendly match that faced numerous hurdles, including a venue change due to concerns over the spread of the Ebola virus.
The DRC lost 1-2 to Chile in a closed-door friendly held at the Stade de la Source in Orléans, France, on June 10 (KST).
The DRC, which is placed in Group K of the 2026 North and Central America World Cup alongside Portugal, Uzbekistan, and Colombia, finished its two friendly matches in June with a record of one draw and one loss (0-0 draw against Denmark, 1-2 loss against Chile) as part of its preparations for the tournament.
The friendly was originally scheduled to take place in La Línea de la Concepción in the province of Cádiz, southern Spain.
However, the match was nearly canceled after the mayor of La Línea de la Concepción abruptly refused to host the game, citing the Ebola virus outbreak in the DRC.
Ultimately, the DRC scrambled to find a new venue and secured Orléans, France. The match against Chile was held behind closed doors to address concerns regarding the Ebola virus and to prevent the exposure of their tactical strategies.
The United States, a co-host of the North and Central America World Cup, has notified players and officials that to enter the U.S. for the tournament, they must have spent at least 21 days outside of the DRC and show no symptoms of the Ebola virus.
All 26 players on the DRC's final roster play for overseas clubs and have been training in Europe, including Belgium, meaning there are no issues regarding their entry into the U.S.
In the hard-fought closed-door friendly, the DRC (FIFA ranking 46th) matched Chile (ranking 54th) with 50-50 ball possession and led in shots with 10 (4 on target) to 6 (3 on target), but ultimately suffered defeat due to a lack of finishing.
After a scoreless first half, the DRC conceded the opening goal to Chile's Diaro Osorio just six minutes into the second half, and fell further behind after allowing a second goal to Matías Sepúlveda in the 86th minute.
The DRC managed to score a consolation goal through Joris Kayembe Ditu in the 88th minute, but there was not enough time left to turn the game around.
(Photo: AP, Yonhap News)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.