Africa Cup of Nations: DR Congo fans gear up for semi-finals
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Transcript
00:00 Yoka Son, Kinshasa's oldest troop of entertainers, is getting ready.
00:05 It's the eve of the Congolese Leopards' Africa Cup of Nations semi-final clash with the Elephants,
00:15 the tournament's Ivorian hosts. The pressure is on.
00:18 The throbbing songs and beats pump up the crowd and the players.
00:29 This year the cup is ours. We're the ones who are going to win it.
00:32 We're putting on a show to lend the team good luck.
00:34 They'll hear the sound all the way to Abidjan. We're going to bring the cup home to Congo.
00:38 This troop of fervent supporters is led by Evo Loko, a local celebrity.
00:44 Before the big day, he's leaving nothing to chance.
00:49 He superstitiously won't show his costume. It's covered in talismans and feathers.
00:57 I've had my stage costume stayed at home. It's like a traditional chief's outfit that brings good luck.
01:02 I'm guarding it and cleaning it properly for the day of the match against Ivory Coast.
01:07 Their supporters' belief in the skills of the Congolese side is unshakable.
01:13 In 50 years, the Leopards have never won the cup, but this time around, hopes are still high.
01:23 Excitement has even reached Brazzaville, the capital of the Republic of Congo, on the other side of the river.
01:28 Kinshasa residents have been teasing their neighbours, whose team didn't qualify for AFCON,
01:33 to keep an eye on the river to follow their victory celebrations.
01:36 It's the Leopards' match. Who's going to watch?
01:39 It's only natural for a Brazzavillian to support the neighbouring country.
01:43 The fans are planning to give their fullest support to the Leopards,
01:49 who, for their part, are using their visibility in the tournament to draw international attention
01:54 to ongoing massacres by rebel militia in eastern Congo.