Portugal vs DR Congo, the opening match of Group K at Houston’s NRG Stadium, was much-awaited as it was going to be the first appearance of captain Cristiano Ronaldo in the FIFA World Cup 2026, as he is globally regarded as one of the leading faces in the football world, and every football fan had kept a keen eye on the match. Everybody was expecting Portugal to seal this high-voltage clash.
DR Congo were set to appear in the FIFA World Cup after 52 years, as they had last appeared in the 1974 World Cup. The match ended with a completely different outcome, as it ended in a 1-1 draw, and Portugal opened their tournament campaign with a tie. DR Congo would be happy, as their compact defense took the match to this outcome in front of nearly 70,000 spectators present at the NRG Stadium.
Portugal Line-up
- Diogo Costa (GK)
- João Cancelo
- Tomás Araújo
- Renato Veiga
- Nuno Mendes
- João Neves
- Vitinha
- Bernardo Silva
- Bruno Fernandes
- Pedro Neto
- Cristiano Ronaldo (C)
DR Congo Line-up
- Lionel Mpasi (GK)
- Aaron Wan-Bissaka
- Steve Kapuadi
- Axel Tuanzebe
- Chancel Mbemba (C)
- Arthur Masuaku
- Edo Kayembe
- Samuel Moutoussamy
- Noah Mukau
- Yoane Wissa
- Cédric Bakambu
Portugal vs DR Congo: Match Finished at 1 – 1 leveler
At the start of the game, Portugal kept the tempo of the match in their favour as Bruno Fernandes and Vitinha controlled the midfield, while Pedro Neto kept on checking the defense of DR Congo. But Masuaku, Kapuadi, Tuanzebe, Mbemba, and Wan-Bissaka did a really tough job as B. Silva from the left and Pedro from the right, with their long runs, tried to break the strong defense.
In the 6th minute, Portugal scored a goal, as Pedro Neto took the ball into his possession and swung it into the penalty area. Midfielder João Neves, with his timed run, powered a header above goalkeeper Lionel Mpasi and scored a goal.
After the goal, DR Congo were under pressure, as their strikers struggled to keep the ball in their possession. Bruno Fernandes kept on attacking DR Congo, Bernardo Silva was creating overloads on Congo’s defense, and Ronaldo was creating pressure on the central defense. DR Congo kept focus on defending.
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During the 21st to 35th minute of the game, DR Congo found themselves in a strong state as Arthur Masuaku and Aaron Wan-Bissaka tried to take opportunities to score goals, whereas Yoane Wissa was attacking dangerously whenever the ball was played into space. As the game progressed, the underdogs started believing that they could come back into the game.
Lionel Mpasi remained a key player for Congo, as he saved many goals, crosses, and shots. Bruno Fernandes attempted to break the compact defense, and Ronaldo was looking for space inside the box. During 45+5, DR Congo leveled the match at 1-1.
A corner kick took the ball into the penalty area, and Yoane Wissa scored the historic goal with his header into the net. It was hugely significant because it was DR Congo’s first World Cup goal since their previous appearance in 1974, ending a 52-year wait.
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Later in the second half, Portugal dominated possession and registered more shots. Whereas DR Congo had fewer opportunities but was more efficient. Both goals were scored through headers, and Portugal struggled to convert their control into a larger lead, as DR Congo’s last goal took the match to an equalizer.
João Neves Earns Superior Player of the Match Trophy
The match ended with the final whistle after stoppage time, where five additional minutes were played, and confirmed one of the historic matches. After full time, the score was Portugal 1-1, DR Congo. João Neves, the 21-year-old player who played his first FIFA World Cup match, scored his first goal on his debut match and displayed an electrifying midfield performance.
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