Yoane Wissa: Congo’s hero against Portugal, who once survived an acid attack
(AP Photo/Ashley Landis)
With their 1-1 tie against Portugal, the Democratic Republic of Congo managed a draw in what was the country’s first appearance in the FIFA World Cup in 52 years, Newcastle United striker Yoane Wissa scored the equaliser for Congo in the injury time in the first half after Joao Neves had given Portugal the lead in the sixth minute of the Group K match at Houston Stadium. Back in 2021, Wissa had suffered an acid attack at his home in Lorient in France, where he was playing for the French Club Lorient FC. The incident happened days before he was set to join Premier League side Brentford for a record deal of 8.5 million pounds with reports later stating that a woman later identified as Laetitia P posed as a fan to seek his autograph at his home and threw acid on the striker’s face with Wissa’s family present at his home at that time. It was later reported that the woman had tried to kidnap Wissa’s daughter.Post the incident, Wissa had told the court in Vannes, Brittany about the incident and how he almost lost his eye sight. “I opened a door, and had liquid thrown in my face. I screamed and could not breathe.My wife called the emergency services, and they told me to get under the shower to rinse my eyes. At the hospital they told me my eyes were burned. Someone had to come and rinse them out every hour. It has been a nightmare. Since then I panic every time I hear a noise, and the only thing that kept me going was knowing my children are safe. I had surgery on both eyes, and the doctor told me I will need to use eye drops for the rest of my life.”The Sun had reported Wissa giving the statement in the court in Vannes, Brittany.
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