Portugal 1-1 DR Congo

DR Congo stunned the favorites and held Portugal to a 1-1 draw on their World Cup return after 52 years away.

Full time · Half-time 1-1

How the match went

This was the shock of the round, and DR Congo earned every bit of it.

Portugal started as heavy favorites, and they took the lead through Joao Neves in the 6th minute.

An early goal like that was meant to settle the favorites and open the game up.

But DR Congo were back for their first World Cup since 1974, and they refused to fold.

Yoane Wissa scored right before half-time, in the 45+5th minute, to make it 1-1.

After the break Portugal pushed hard for a winner, led by 41-year-old Cristiano Ronaldo.

But DR Congo defended bravely and held firm for the rest of the game.

A 1-1 draw is a massive result for DR Congo, one they can be proud of, and 2 dropped points for one of the tournament favorites.

Goals in the order they were scored.

Portugal play Uzbekistan on June 23, and they will want a clean win.

Uzbekistan just lost 3-1 to Colombia in their first ever World Cup game.

After dropping points here, Portugal need a strong response to get their group back on track.

DR Congo play Colombia on June 23, and confidence will be high.

Colombia just beat Uzbekistan 3-1, so this is a tough test.

After holding Portugal to a draw, DR Congo will believe they can take more points from this group.

The match was played on Wednesday June 17, 2026 at NRG Stadium in Houston. It was a Group K opener in front of 68,777 fans.

The game finished 1-1. It was also 1-1 at half-time, and neither team could find a winner after the break.

Joao Neves scored for Portugal in the 6th minute. It gave them an early lead, but they could not add a second.

Yoane Wissa scored for DR Congo in stoppage time at the end of the first half, in the 45+5th minute. It made it 1-1 and earned them a famous point.

Portugal play Uzbekistan on June 23 in their 2nd Group K game. DR Congo play Colombia on the same day, full of belief after this result.