Portugal stunned by DR Congo as World Cup opener ends in draw

Portugal had their hopes doused in the opening game of the 2026 FIFA World Cup when they were thwarted to a 1-1 tie by the talented outfit from the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Martinez’s team looked set for a victory in the early stages of the match following their early strike, yet the determination shown by DR Congo made sure that Europe’s powerhouses were made to settle for a point.

Though Portugal had full possession of the ball at various stages during the match, their inability to turn it into goals meant that DR Congo would be competing in this clash.

DR Congo took advantage of the wastefulness shown by Portugal late into the first half. With Portugal not finding their way past the back four, DR Congo struck through Yoane Wissa, whose header from Arthur Masuaku’s cross became the first goal from DR Congo in the World Cup.

The goal rounded off an excellent first-half display from the Congolese team, who went ahead at halftime but then continued to stifle Portugal by playing defensive and counter-attacking football after halftime.

The DR Congo side, which is participating for only the second time in the World Cup since their debut in 1974 as Zaire, performed much better compared to their first participation, during which they suffered defeats in all three matches while conceding 14 goals in the process.

DR Congo nearly managed to win the game when veteran forward Cedric Bakambu hit the woodwork in one of several dangerous attacks from the side.

All eyes prior to the match were on Portugal captain Cristiano Ronaldo, who joined Lionel Messi in having played in six World Cup tournaments.

But the Portuguese player was left disappointed after failing to become the first footballer to score in six different World Cups.

It was during the second half that Ronaldo got his two best chances, making contact with the balls that were served to him by the substitute, Francisco Conceicao, but just barely missing the mark each time.

These attempts captured the essence of Portugal’s difficulty in attacking, with the only shot on goal coming from Joao Neves early in the game.

This leaves Portugal with much to accomplish in their upcoming group matches, while DR Congo can take heart in putting on what is perhaps the most memorable game in their football history.