Peruvian spiritualists have conducted a live television ritual aimed at cleansing England captain Harry Kane of a curse allegedly placed by a Ghanaian witch doctor. The ritual comes after Kane struggled in a 0-0 draw against Ghana on Tuesday, with the striker missing a key chance in the match.
Witch Doctor Claims Responsibility
Ghanaian witch doctor Nana Kwaku Bonsam claimed he cast a spell on Kane before the game, stating he wanted to "stop his vibrations" so Ghana could avoid defeat. England managed only four shots on target in the match, and Kane sliced a left-footed volley over the bar after a header from Nico O’Reilly hit the woodwork.
Bonsam, who previously claimed responsibility for Cristiano Ronaldo's knee issues before the 2014 World Cup, insisted he did not intend to permanently injure Kane. He later wrote on Instagram: "I am the most powerful spiritualist in the whole world. Now, I am going to release Harry Kane so that in his next match he can score a goal."
Peruvian Shamans Take Action
Despite Bonsam's claim to have lifted the curse, Peruvian spiritualists took no chances. They used a life-sized cardboard cutout of Kane and performed a ritual live on television. Shamans chanted spells, slapped the cutout with bunches of leaves, and played "healing music" to free Kane of negative energy. They also tied knots of strings and broke them over the cutout's shoulders, symbolically breaking any bad influences.
England have already qualified for the World Cup Round of 32, sitting on four points after a 4-2 win over Croatia and the 0-0 draw with Ghana. They face Panama on Saturday evening, needing a win to secure top spot in their group and a more favorable knockout draw. Ghana, also through, will play Croatia simultaneously in Philadelphia.
Fans React to Kane's Performance
Fans on social media reacted to Kane's display. One user said: "Thomas Tuchel got Timo Werner flashbacks when Harry hit that moon ball." Another commented: "Kane didn’t miss, he just got spiritually pressed." A third added: "I don't want to say it worked, but the proof is in the pudding, well the proof is from the six-yard box actually."
Speaking after the game, Kane said: "You go through games like that. I was just waiting for an opportunity like that to fall my way. It was the kind of game as a striker where you're just waiting for the ball to bounce, and it did. I just couldn't quite get over the ball, but I'd back myself to score that more often than not. It is what it is. I've been a striker long enough to know they don't always go in, so I have to accept it." He added: "I was almost man-marked by [Thomas] Partey for a lot of the game. I didn't really have the space to drop deep and then arrive late in the box, and they also defended the box well."
