Portugal couldn’t find a way past DR Congo on Wednesday. The two sides shared the points in a 1-1 draw to open Group K at the 2026 World Cup, with João Neves and Yoane Wissa trading headers inside the first 46 minutes at Houston Stadium. Neither team could break the deadlock after that, despite Portugal dominating the ball for long stretches. ESPN, FIFA.com
It’s a result nobody outside DR Congo’s camp was expecting. Cristiano Ronaldo started his sixth World Cup as Portugal’s captain, and the team walked in as clear favorites. DR Congo, on the other hand, hadn’t featured at a World Cup since 1974. Splitting the points with one of the tournament’s biggest names, in their first match back after 52 years away, is the kind of story that’s bigger than the scoreline. ESPN, FOX Sports
Match at a Glance
- Result: Portugal 1-1 DR Congo
- Competition: 2026 FIFA World Cup, Group K (opening match)
- Venue: Houston Stadium (NRG Stadium), Houston, Texas
- Goals: João Neves 6′ (Portugal), Yoane Wissa 45+5′ (DR Congo)
- Date: Wednesday, June 17, 2026
Sources: FIFA.com, Athlon Sports, Yahoo Sports
Neves Header Gets Portugal Off and Running
Portugal didn’t waste any time. Six minutes in, João Neves climbed above his marker and headed home to make it 1-0. It was the start Roberto Martínez wanted — sharp, direct, and exactly the kind of statement a tournament favorite is supposed to make in its opener. For a while, it looked like business as usual. Yahoo Sports, ESPN
Wissa Levels It Right Before the Break
DR Congo had other plans. In the fifth minute of first-half stoppage time, Arthur Masuaku whipped a cross into the box, and Yoane Wissa rose above his marker to head it past Portugal’s goalkeeper. 1-1, right at the death of the half. Yahoo Sports, ESPN
Think about that for a second. A country that hadn’t played a World Cup match since Brazil beat them 3-0 back in 1974 had just leveled the score against one of the favorites to win the whole thing. The Leopards weren’t just here to make up the numbers. ESPN
Plenty of Pressure, Not Much to Show for It
Portugal came out for the second half and took control of possession, just like you’d expect. Martínez sent on Francisco Conceição at the break, then turned to Rafael Leão and Gonçalo Ramos later on, looking for something — anything — to break DR Congo’s resistance. Yahoo Sports
The closest anyone came was deep into stoppage time. Bruno Fernandes drove a left-footed effort from 20 yards that flashed just wide of the near post, with goalkeeper Mpasi’s defense crowding the box around him. That was about as good as it got for Portugal all night. ESPN
It wasn’t all smooth at the back, either. Defender Araújo flattened Wissa late on after a loose ball off a throw-in, and that challenge could easily have gone for a red card. The referee, Abdulrahman AlJassim, stuck with yellow. Nelson Semedo, on for the injured Nuno Mendes, also picked up a caution in the 88th minute. Bernardo Silva was the first Portugal player booked, back in the 13th minute, with DR Congo’s Chancel Mbemba following just before the half-hour mark. ESPN, Yahoo Sports
Ronaldo Plays the Full 90, But It’s a Quiet Night
All eyes were on Cristiano Ronaldo before kickoff — fair enough, given this is his sixth World Cup, twenty years on from his first appearance back in Germany in 2006. He played every minute on Wednesday. He just didn’t get much change out of DR Congo’s back line. ESPN
Portugal’s captain is now without a goal in nine straight major tournament matches. That drought rolls on. This World Cup has been billed by plenty of outlets as Ronaldo’s last shot at the one trophy that’s eluded him his entire career, and a frustrating draw against a team playing its first World Cup game since 1974 isn’t the start anyone in Lisbon had in mind. Sports Mole, ESPN
DR Congo’s 52-Year Wait Was Worth It
Here’s the part of this story that matters just as much as the final score: DR Congo are back at a World Cup after more than five decades away. Getting here wasn’t easy, either. They only sealed their spot through the intercontinental playoffs on March 31, when former Manchester United defender Axel Tuanzebe scored an extra-time winner against Jamaica in Guadalajara. ESPN
They didn’t arrive in great form, either — DR Congo had dropped three of their previous five matches heading into this tournament. None of that showed up on the pitch in Houston. Under head coach Sébastien Desabre, who took over in 2022 and steered the Leopards to an Africa Cup of Nations semifinal in 2023, this team has real attacking talent in Wissa and Cédric Bakambu. Wednesday’s equalizer was proof of that. Coming from behind against Portugal, on the biggest stage in the sport, in a country none of them call home — that’s not luck. That’s a team that believes it belongs. FOX Sports, ESPN
What This Means for Group K
This was the first time these two countries had ever met on a football pitch, and it’s left Group K wide open after just one match. Portugal will be disappointed to drop points against a side they were expected to beat, and they’ll need a sharper edge in front of goal if they’re aiming for a deep run. DR Congo, meanwhile, can play their remaining group games loose. After tonight, anything else is a bonus. Both teams still have work to do before anyone talks seriously about the knockout stage, but for one night in Houston, DR Congo made sure nobody forgets they showed up. SI.com, FOX Sports