sports
Congo national team prepares for World Cup match against Portugal
The Congolese national team is set to play its first World Cup game in 52 years on June 17 against Portugal. The coach stated the Ebola outbreak did not affect internal preparation but noted some fans could not travel due to restrictions.
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The Congolese national team will play Portugal on June 17 in Houston, marking the country's first World Cup appearance in 52 years. The coach said the ongoing Ebola outbreak did not affect the team's internal preparation. The CDC issued travel restrictions to prevent the virus from entering the United States.
While the team completed a 21-day quarantine before traveling from Paris to Houston, many fans were unable to attend matches in person.
Preparation adjustments The team canceled a planned three-day training camp in Kinshasa last month and instead trained in Belgium. A scheduled friendly match against Chile in Spain was relocated to France without spectators due to public health concerns.
"For the team, for the preparation internally, it was not impactful," the coach said on June 16. The coach also stated that all 26 players on the roster are healthy and available.
Fan impact The coach said the team was sad that some longtime supporters could not travel to the United States. The coach expressed hope that the diaspora would provide support during the tournament. Congo is scheduled to face Colombia on June 23 in Guadalajara and Uzbekistan on June 27 in Atlanta.
