Portugal were held to a 1-1 draw by the Democratic Republic of Congo in their opening Group K match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, as Yoane Wissa’s equaliser cancelled out an early strike from Joao Neves.
The result marked a disappointing start to the tournament for Roberto Martinez’s side, who entered the competition among the favourites but were unable to turn their dominance into victory at the NRG Stadium.
Portugal made a dream start when Neves opened the scoring in the sixth minute. The midfielder found space inside the penalty area and headed home to give the Europeans an early advantage.
Despite controlling possession for much of the first half, Portugal struggled to create clear-cut chances and failed to build on their lead. Their inability to convert possession into goals proved costly as DR Congo struck back in first-half stoppage time.
Wissa capitalised on poor marking from a wide free-kick, powering a header beyond goalkeeper Diogo Costa to draw the African side level before the interval.
Seeking a response after the break, Martinez introduced Francisco Conceicao to add pace and creativity to Portugal’s attack. The winger quickly made his presence felt, creating opportunities for captain Cristiano Ronaldo, who was making a record-breaking World Cup appearance. However, the veteran forward was unable to find the finishing touch.
Portugal thought they had restored their lead midway through the second half when Joao Cancelo found the net following a well-worked move involving Bruno Fernandes and Neves. The celebrations were short-lived, however, as the goal was ruled out for offside.
With time running out, Martinez opted for a more attacking approach, bringing on Goncalo Ramos and reshaping his side in search of a winner. Portugal continued to press forward but were met by a disciplined and resilient DR Congo defence.
The Congolese side held firm through the closing stages to earn a valuable point and frustrate one of the tournament’s leading contenders.
The draw leaves both teams with work to do in Group K. Portugal will next face Uzbekistan in Houston before concluding their group-stage campaign against Colombia, while DR Congo will look to build on the positive result in their upcoming fixtures.
