The Democratic Republic of Congo lost 2-1 to Chile in a friendly match held behind closed doors on June 9 in Orleans, France, after being moved from Cadiz due to public health concerns linked to an Ebola outbreak in Congo [1, 2].
Chile took the lead in the 52nd minute with a goal from Dario Osorio. Matias Sepulveda scored a second goal for Chile in the 86th minute. Congo’s Joris Kayembe scored a late goal in the 88th minute but it was not enough to avoid defeat [1, 2].
The match was played without fans as officials prioritized health safety amid Ebola fears in Congo, prompting the switch from the original location in Cadiz, Spain [1, 2].
Ahead of the World Cup, U.S. officials require all players and staff to have been outside the DRC for 21 days and to remain symptom-free from Ebola before entering the country [1, 2].
DR Congo plan to travel to their World Cup base in Houston on June 11. They will open their Group K campaign against Portugal on June 17, then face Colombia on June 23 in Guadalajara, and Uzbekistan on June 27 in Atlanta [1, 2].