Portugal began its 2026 World Cup campaign on Wednesday night with a disappointing 1-1 draw against the Democratic Republic of Congo in the opening round of Group K. Roberto Martinez’s side took an early lead but dropped two valuable points in their first match of the tournament.
Joao Neves put Portugal ahead in the fifth minute after a quick attacking move, giving the favorites an ideal start. But Portugal failed to turn its control into a second goal, and Congo stayed in the contest.
Deep into first-half stoppage time, Theo Bongonda set up Yoane Wissa, who finished to make it 1-1 and score Congo’s first-ever goal at a World Cup. In the second half, Cristiano Ronaldo and his teammates pushed to restore the lead, but they repeatedly ran into a disciplined Congo defense and a strong all-around effort from the African side.
Portugal had more of the ball and kept up pressure late in the match, but it could not find a winner. For Ronaldo, the result was a frustrating contrast to Lionel Messi’s recent headline-grabbing three-goal performance for Argentina. Portugal will now look to recover in its next group match to avoid complicating its path to the round of 16.
