DR Congo Earn Valuable Draw Against Portugal in FIFA World Cup 2026

DR Congo marked their first FIFA World Cup appearance in 52 years with a valuable point, holding Portugal to a 1-1 draw. The result means Portugal have managed only one win in their last five World Cup opening matches.

Portugal, the current UEFA Nations League holders, made a quick start and went ahead inside six minutes. Joao Neves met a well-placed cross from Pedro Neto and guided a header into the net, scoring his fourth goal in his last two competitive international matches.

Portugal's early goal looked like it could shape the match, but DR Congo responded well. Yoane Wissa came close with a shot that went just wide, while Cedric Bakambu had an effort blocked by the Portuguese defence.

With Bruno Fernandes pulling the strings in midfield, Portugal continued to create chances. The Manchester United midfielder played an excellent pass to send Nuno Mendes through on goal, but Lionel Mpasi produced a fine save to keep DR Congo within one goal.

Despite having several creative players on the pitch, Portugal found it difficult to create clear chances after that. DR Congo stayed organised at the back and stuck to their plan even after falling behind early.

Their hard work paid off just before the break. Wissa was left completely unmarked from a corner and headed past Diogo Costa to score DR Congo's first-ever World Cup goal. Although the African side had very little possession in the first half, they fully deserved to go into the interval with 1-1.

After the break, both sides came up with renewed intensity and tried to get a lead in the match. Unfortunately, none of them were able to score any goal, as the defenses of both teams remained strong. As a result, the match ended in a draw, with both sides scoring one goal each.