- DR Congo held Portugal to a 1-1 draw in their opening Group K match at the 2026 World Cup
- Yoane Wissa equalised after João Neves gave Portugal an early lead, securing DR Congo’s first World Cup point
- Cristiano Ronaldo had a quiet game as Portugal failed to find a winner despite dominating possession
Portugal were held to a 1-1 draw by the Democratic Republic of Congo in their opening Group K match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, denying Cristiano Ronaldo a winning start to his record-equalling sixth appearance at the tournament.
Eko Hot Blog gathered that João Neves gave Portugal an early advantage in the sixth minute, heading home a cross from Pedro Neto to put Roberto Martínez’s side ahead.
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Despite dominating possession for much of the first half, Portugal failed to extend their lead and were punished just before the break when Yoane Wissa headed home unmarked to score DR Congo’s first-ever FIFA World Cup goal.
The equaliser sparked jubilant celebrations among the Congolese players and supporters, with the African side earning their first point at the World Cup in their first appearance since 1974, when the country competed as Zaire.
The result was even more remarkable considering the team’s preparations were affected by the recent Ebola outbreak in their home country.
Portugal’s players also paid tribute to their late teammate, Diogo Jota, by wearing commemorative wristbands presented by Prime Minister Luís Montenegro before the match.
Cristiano Ronaldo struggled to influence the contest and was largely kept quiet throughout the game. The veteran forward had two clear opportunities in the second half but failed to hit the target on both occasions.
João Cancelo thought he had restored Portugal’s lead with an overhead kick, but the effort was ruled out for offside after a VAR review.
DR Congo also threatened to snatch victory when experienced striker Cédric Bakambu shrugged off Bruno Fernandes before seeing his effort strike the near post.
Portugal continued to push for a late winner, but the Congolese defence stood firm to secure a historic draw and frustrate one of the tournament favourites in Houston.
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