The Democratic Republic of Congo will face Chile in a World Cup warm-up match with no fans in the stadium, a decision made in direct response to concerns about the Ebola outbreak back home.
The closed-door arrangement means what would have been a high-energy send-off for the Congolese squad becomes a quieter, more clinical final tune-up before the tournament. It is a sobering reminder of the pressures these players carry beyond the pitch.
How the team channels that weight into their World Cup campaign is the real question now.
Originally published by BBC Africa.