Houston, June 18: Portugal’s journey in the FIFA World Cup 2026 began on a disappointing note. In their group match, Portugal was unable to secure a win against DR Congo, resulting in a 1-1 draw.
Star player Cristiano Ronaldo had a lackluster performance, failing to score any goals. Portugal initially took the lead in the sixth minute with a goal from João Neves. However, DR Congo equalized during stoppage time of the first half.
Throughout the match, Portugal maintained possession of the ball but could not find the net again. DR Congo’s defense performed exceptionally well. For DR Congo, this was a historic day, as they earned their first World Cup point in 52 years since their last appearance.
The opening minutes were promising for Portugal. In the sixth minute, João Neves scored with a header, assisted by a brilliant left-wing cross from Pedro Neto, putting Portugal ahead 1-0. However, DR Congo continued to apply pressure, and just before halftime, Visa scored with a header from Arthur Masuaku’s cross, marking DR Congo’s first-ever World Cup goal.
In the second half, João Cancelo executed a stunning overhead kick that found the back of the net, but it was ruled offside. Despite his ineffective performance, Ronaldo achieved a significant milestone by becoming the oldest outfield player (41 years and 132 days) to start in a World Cup match. This was Ronaldo’s 23rd World Cup match, placing him fourth on the all-time list alongside Italy’s legendary player Paolo Maldini.
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