Portugal were held to a frustrating 1-1 draw by a resolute DR Congo side in their 2026 FIFA World Cup Group K opener at NRG Stadium in Houston on Wednesday, with Cristiano Ronaldo and Roberto Martinez’s men unable to convert their overwhelming dominance into maximum points on a disappointing evening for one of the tournament’s leading favourites.

The European side made a dream start, breaking the deadlock as early as the sixth minute when Pedro Neto delivered a precise cross to the penalty spot and João Neves arrived from deep to guide a composed header past DR Congo goalkeeper Mpasi. It appeared to be the perfect platform from which Portugal could build and assert their superiority, with the 2025 UEFA Nations League champions proceeding to monopolise possession in the manner befitting a side expected to challenge deep into the tournament.

However, for all their control of the ball, Portugal remained curiously blunt in the final third. Their inability to fashion clear-cut chances against a disciplined and compact Congolese defensive unit began to tell, and the warning signs were there long before the equaliser eventually arrived. Ronaldo, making what could be his final appearance on football’s grandest stage at 41, found himself increasingly peripheral as DR Congo’s defenders denied him the space to threaten.

The sucker punch came deep into first-half stoppage time, in the 45th minute, when DR Congo conjured a moment of genuine quality from a corner. Arthur Masuaku drifted infield from the right flank and whipped a dangerous delivery into the box, where Yoane Wissa shook off the challenge of Tomas Araujo to head emphatically into the net. The goal was not only a dramatic equaliser it was a landmark moment in football history, representing DR Congo’s first-ever goal at a FIFA World Cup.

Although the nation previously appeared at the 1974 tournament under their former name Zaire, they had gone the entirety of that campaign without scoring, conceding 14 goals across three group-stage defeats.

The second half saw Portugal reassert their possession finishing the game with a remarkable 75 percent of the ball but their lack of cutting edge proved terminal. Bruno Fernandes was unable to provide the creative spark to unlock a packed Congolese defence, and a late effort from distance was dragged wide as the clock ran down. DR Congo, for their part, showed admirable resolve and even carried a threat on the counter-attack, with their expected goals figure of 0.82 ultimately surpassing Portugal’s 0.64 in a statistic that will make for uncomfortable reading in the Selecao camp.

In the end, Martinez’s men were left to reflect on a missed opportunity that could yet prove costly in a group they were widely expected to top with ease. For DR Congo, and their coach Sébastien Desabre, the point represents a remarkable return on their first World Cup appearance in 52 years and Wissa’s moment of inspiration will be celebrated long after the tournament concludes.