HOUSTON, TEXAS / MENA Newswire / – Portugal opened its FIFA World Cup Group K campaign with a 1-1 draw against the Democratic Republic of Congo on Wednesday in Houston, where Cristiano Ronaldo’s ineffective attacking display became a central part of a frustrating result. João Neves gave Portugal an early lead, but Yoane Wissa equalized before halftime. DR Congo then held firm as Portugal failed to convert pressure into a winning goal.
Portugal and DR Congo opened World Cup Group K with a 1-1 draw in Houston. (Credit – WAM)
Neves scored in the sixth minute after Pedro Neto delivered a cross into the area. The header put Portugal ahead and gave Roberto Martínez’s side early control. Portugal kept more of the ball after the goal, but its attack lost sharpness in the final third. The team finished with only one shot on target, which was the goal by Neves.
Ronaldo started and played the full match in his sixth World Cup, but his attacking output was limited, and underwhelming. He had three shots, none on target, and missed two close-range chances in the second half. Match statistics also listed 25 touches, zero key passes, zero crosses and no successful dribbles. Among Portugal players who played more than 45 minutes, he had the fewest touches.
Ronaldo struggles
The missed chances gave Ronaldo’s display added weight in the final result. Portugal needed a second goal after Wissa’s equalizer, but Ronaldo sent both close-range chances wide. He also failed to produce a shot that forced a save. His limited involvement stood out because Portugal used senior attacking players around him, including Bruno Fernandes and Bernardo Silva.
DR Congo equalized in first-half stoppage time through Wissa. Arthur Masuaku sent the ball into the area, and Wissa headed in from close range. FIFA recorded the strike as DR Congo’s first World Cup goal. The draw also gave the country its first World Cup point after its return to the tournament following a 52-year absence.
Historic point
DR Congo stayed compact after halftime and protected the draw with organized defending. Sébastien Desabre’s team also threatened on the break, with Cédric Bakambu striking the post in the second half. Portugal made changes and kept searching for a winner, but its final passes and finishing remained poor. Ronaldo’s blank night left Portugal without the finishing touch it needed.
The result left Portugal and DR Congo with one point each after their Group K opener. Colombia later beat Uzbekistan 3-1 to move top of the group. Portugal will next face Uzbekistan, while DR Congo will meet Colombia. For DR Congo, the point marked a major World Cup milestone. For Portugal, the draw reflected a night of missed chances and an attack led by Ronaldo that did not deliver.