Portugal were forced to settle for a disappointing 1-1 draw against Democratic Republic of the Congo in their opening Group K match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup on Wednesday.
Portugal started brightly and looked set for a comfortable victory after João Neves gave Roberto Martínez’s side an early lead in the 6th minute, rising highest to head home from a well-delivered cross.
Despite dominating possession and controlling large spells of the first half, Portugal failed to turn their superiority into more goals. DR Congo stayed disciplined defensively and gradually grew into the contest.
The equaliser came just before halftime when Yoane Wissa stunned the Portuguese defence with a well-taken header, bringing DR Congo level and silencing the heavily pro-Portugal crowd.
In the second half, Portugal pushed aggressively for a winner, with veteran forward Cristiano Ronaldo at the heart of several attacks. However, DR Congo’s defensive organisation proved difficult to break down.
Portugal thought they had restored their lead through a spectacular João Cancelo bicycle kick, but the goal was ruled out for offside after VAR review.
DR Congo held firm through late pressure to secure a valuable point in what could prove one of the early surprises of the tournament.
The result leaves Group K wide open, with Portugal now under pressure ahead of their next match against Uzbekistan.
