DR Congo earned the first point in their World Cup history, holding Cristiano Ronaldo’s Portugal to a 1-1 draw in Houston behind a stoppage-time equalizer from Yoane Wissa that turned a respectable World Cup return into a genuine moment of celebration.
Wissa’s Equalizer Writes Congolese History
Portugal struck early through João Neves, who finished a Pedro Neto pass in the sixth minute to give the European side a lead that, for long stretches, looked likely to hold. DR Congo had other ideas. Deep into first-half stoppage time, Arthur Masuaku found Wissa with a pass that the forward finished calmly to level the score at 1-1 — the first goal, and ultimately the first point, in the history of a program making just its second World Cup appearance and first since competing as Zaire in 1974.
Ronaldo’s Frustrating Night
The match’s other subplot belonged to Cristiano Ronaldo, who became the oldest outfield player ever to start a World Cup match. Portugal’s captain had two half-chances in the second half but could not add a ninth World Cup goal to his career total, and Ronaldo’s visible frustration as DR Congo’s defense repeatedly snuffed out Portugal’s most dangerous moments became one of the enduring images of the match. For a player chasing one more deep World Cup run before his international career concludes, the draw was a reminder that this Portugal squad will need contributions from elsewhere if Ronaldo’s chances continue to dry up.
What This Means for Group K
The result left Portugal and DR Congo level on a single point apiece in Group K, a group that also features Colombia and Uzbekistan, who played out their own high-scoring contest on the same day. For DR Congo, the point was an outright triumph regardless of what follows; for Portugal, a side many had pegged among the tournament’s contenders, it was a missed opportunity to seize control of the group from the opening fixture.
FAQ
What was the final score of Portugal vs DR Congo at the 2026 World Cup?
The match finished 1-1, with João Neves scoring for Portugal in the 6th minute and Yoane Wissa equalizing for DR Congo in first-half stoppage time.
Did Cristiano Ronaldo score against DR Congo?
No. Ronaldo had two half-chances but did not score, finishing the match without adding to his World Cup goal tally.
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