Portugal were held to a surprise 1-1 draw by DR Congo in their FIFA World Cup 2026 Group K opener in Houston on Wednesday, with Yoane Wissa's historic equaliser earning the African side their first-ever point at the tournament. João Neves gave Portugal an early lead, but Wissa struck on the stroke of half-time to cancel out the opener. Despite dominating possession for long periods, Roberto Martinez's side failed to find a winner, while Cristiano Ronaldo endured a frustrating evening with zero shots on goal.
Portugal made the perfect start when they broke the deadlock in the sixth minute. Pedro Neto burst down the left flank and delivered an inviting cross into the penalty area, where Neves timed his run brilliantly before powering a header beyond goalkeeper Lionel Mpasi.
The early goal suggested Portugal could take complete control of the contest, but DR Congo gradually settled into the game and began to threaten on the counter-attack. Cedric Bakambu tested the Portuguese defence with his pace and movement, while Chancel Mbemba marshalled the backline effectively as the Leopards absorbed sustained pressure.
Ronaldo was heavily involved during the opening period and attempted an ambitious overhead kick after a slick Portuguese move. However, clear-cut opportunities proved difficult to come by despite Portugal's territorial dominance.
The decisive moment of the first half arrived deep into stoppage time. Arthur Masuaku delivered a teasing cross into the box where Wissa was left unmarked and made no mistake, heading home from close range to level the scores at 1-1.
Wissa Delivers Historic Moment For DR Congo
The goal marked one of the most significant moments in Congolese football history. Before Wissa's strike, DR Congo had never scored at a FIFA World Cup. Their only previous appearance came in 1974, when they competed as Zaire and exited the tournament without registering a goal or a point.
Wissa's header ended that 52-year wait for a first World Cup goal and when the final whistle sounded, DR Congo had secured the first World Cup point in the nation's history, marking a landmark result against one of Europe's traditional powers.
The statistics reflected the balance of the contest. Despite controlling only 25% possession, DR Congo registered eight shots to Portugal's nine. The Leopards were also the more disciplined side, picking up one yellow card compared to Portugal's three, while both teams committed nine fouls.
Ronaldo's Frustrating Night
The result was particularly disappointing for Ronaldo, who became the oldest outfield player to start a World Cup match at 41 years and 132 days.
The Portugal captain played the full 90 minutes but failed to register a shot on target. His best opportunity arrived in the 75th minute when a dangerous move opened up space inside the penalty area, only for the veteran forward to drag his effort wide of the post.
Portugal thought they had restored their lead shortly after the break through a spectacular João Cancelo overhead kick, but the effort was ruled out for offside following a VAR review.
Ronaldo continued to search for a breakthrough in the closing stages, but DR Congo defended resolutely to preserve a famous draw. The result leaves Group K finely balanced with Uzbekistan and Colombia set to face each other later in the day.
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