Portugal began their World Cup 2026 campaign with a disappointing 1-1 draw against the Democratic Republic of Congo, as Cristiano Ronaldo’s record-breaking appearance failed to inspire Roberto Martinez’s side to victory.
The Euro 2016 champions had hoped to make an early statement in Group K, but were forced to settle for a point after Yoane Wissa’s first-half stoppage-time equaliser cancelled out Joao Neves’ early opener at the NRG Stadium in Houston, Texas.
Portugal made the perfect start to the contest when Neves found the breakthrough inside six minutes. The midfielder drifted into space and glanced home a header to hand Martinez’s men an early advantage.
Despite taking the lead, Portugal struggled to build on their dominance in a largely uneventful first half. The Europeans controlled possession, ending the opening 45 minutes with 80 per cent of the ball, but failed to create enough clear-cut opportunities.
Their inability to capitalise was punished just before the interval. Wissa was left unmarked from a wide free-kick and powered a header beyond Diogo Costa to level the scores and send DR Congo into the break on equal terms.
Martinez demanded a greater tempo from his players after the restart and introduced Francisco Conceicao on the right flank in a bid to inject urgency into Portugal’s attack.
The winger quickly made an impact, creating two opportunities for Ronaldo with cut-backs into the penalty area. However, the veteran forward, who became the oldest outfield player ever to feature at a World Cup, was unable to convert either chance.
Portugal thought they had restored their lead when Joao Cancelo finished from Joao Neves’ chest-down following an excellent delivery from Bruno Fernandes. However, the effort was ruled out for offside, leaving the scores level.
With time running out, Martinez threw on Goncalo Ramos, who scored three goals as a substitute at the previous World Cup, and reshaped his side into an attacking 4-2-4 formation.
Portugal pushed forward relentlessly in search of a winner, but DR Congo stood firm to frustrate their more fancied opponents and secure a valuable point from their opening group-stage match.
Martinez’s side will remain in Houston for their next Group K fixture against Uzbekistan before concluding the group stage against Colombia.
Faridah Abdulkadiri
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