sport news Peruvian witch doctors poke a picture of the Socceroos with SWORDS in ceremony ... trends now
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Thirteen Peruvian shamans have conducted a spiritual ceremony on the hills of Lima to bless Peru's national side in their bid for a spot in the World Cup by poking a picture of the Socceroos with swords.
Australia's 2-1 win over the United Arab Emirates last week has set up the Socceroos for a World Cup playoff against Peru on Tuesday at 4am AEST.
Shamans sing and dance while intoxicated with the spiritual hallocinogenic ayahuasca as they curse the Socceroos in their do-or-die World Cup qualifier against Peru
As is tradition, spirit doctors in the country's capital performed a historical rite of passage to rob the Australian side of their skills and boost the Peruvian side's quest for a World Cup birth.
While most of the ceremony is structured around cultural dancing and indigenous singing, the shamans also blew a native wind instrument called a pututo at a Socceroos team photo before attacking the image with swords.
'We have carried out a Peruvian victory ceremony. We have summoned all the shamans at a national level,' shaman Walter Alarcon told the BBC.
'There are 13 shamans because Peru plays Australia on the 13 June, and we have foreseen Peru passing to the next round.
'Peru will be in Qatar for the World Cup because we have seen people's joy, after taking ayahuasca plants.'
Ajdin Hrustic (left) celebrates with Nathaniel Atkinson after clinching a 2-1 lead over the UAE in their Asian qualifiers playoff match on June 7
Ayahuasca is a hallucinogenic tea made from the leaves of a flowering plant that is repeatedly smashed and
