Portugal were held to a disappointing 1-1 draw by a resilient DR Congo side in their opening match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, as the African nation claimed a memorable result in Group K.
The Portuguese made the perfect start when midfielder Joao Neves headed home after just six minutes, connecting with a cross from Pedro Neto to give Roberto Martinez’s men an early advantage.
Despite dominating possession for long periods, Portugal struggled to turn their control into clear-cut opportunities and paid the price just before halftime.
In first-half stoppage time, DR Congo produced a moment of history as Newcastle United forward Yoane Wissa rose unmarked inside the penalty area to head in Arthur Masuaku‘s cross, scoring his country’s first-ever FIFA World Cup goal.
The equaliser capped an impressive first-half display from DR Congo, who looked far removed from the team formerly known as Zaire that lost all three matches and conceded 14 goals during their only previous World Cup appearance in 1974.
Ranked 46th in the world, the Congolese side defended with discipline and regularly threatened on the counterattack. Veteran striker Cedric Bakambu came close to giving his side the lead, hitting the post from close range before firing another effort narrowly wide.
Portugal’s biggest storyline was the appearance of captain Cristiano Ronaldo, who matched Lionel Messi by becoming one of the few players to feature in six FIFA World Cups.
However, the 41-year-old endured a frustrating evening as he searched to become the first player to score in six different World Cup tournaments. His best opportunities arrived midway through the second half when substitute Francisco Conceicao twice picked him out with low cut-backs, but Ronaldo sent both efforts narrowly wide.
Remarkably, Portugal managed only one shot on target throughout the match Neves’ early header highlighting a lack of cutting edge that will concern manager Roberto Martinez.
For DR Congo, the draw represents a landmark achievement and keeps their hopes of reaching the knockout stages alive. For Portugal, meanwhile, there will be questions to answer after failing to convert possession into goals in a match many expected them to win comfortably.
