DR Congo coach Sebastien Desabre praised his players for their discipline, commitment and determination after they fought back to secure a 1-1 draw against Portugal in a FIFA World Cup Group K match at Houston Stadium on Wednesday.
The Leopards produced one of the standout performances of the opening round as they recovered from an early setback against Cristiano Ronaldo’s Portugal to claim a valuable point. The result marked a memorable moment for DR Congo, who are competing on the world stage for only the second time in their history.
Portugal made the perfect start when Joao Neves opened the scoring after just six minutes. The midfielder rose highest inside the penalty area and powered a header beyond goalkeeper Lionel Mpasi to put the European side in front.
However, DR Congo refused to let their heads drop and gradually grew into the contest. Their persistence paid off just before half time when forward Yoane Wissa scored the nation’s first ever FIFA World Cup goal. The Brentford striker met a cross from Arthur Masuaku and guided a clever header beyond Diogo Costa to level the scores.
Portugal pushed hard after the break and thought they had regained the lead when Joao Cancelo found the net with a stunning finish. However, the celebrations proved short-lived as a VAR review ruled the goal out for offside.
The decision gave DR Congo renewed belief and they successfully held firm during the closing stages to secure a historic result.
Speaking after the match, Desabre expressed pride in the way his players followed instructions and executed the tactical plan against one of the tournament favourites.
“The players showed incredible commitment and selflessness,” the French tactician said.
“We executed the game plan exactly as we wanted, scored from a set piece, and honestly, I am very proud of my players because they represented the Congo in a very positive way and the entire country deserves it.”
Goalscorer Wissa also praised the team’s spirit and determination after helping DR Congo secure their first point at the tournament.
“I’m obviously very proud today (Wednesday) because we’ve worked extremely hard. It was a very difficult match against a team that was stronger than us.
“But we showed courage and resilience. Scoring our first goal is a huge source of pride because it reflects the character of this team. The most important thing now is to keep going.”
Portugal coach Roberto Martinez admitted his side struggled after conceding the equaliser and acknowledged that DR Congo gained confidence as the match progressed.
“We started the match very well. Scoring should have been a great moment, but it wasn’t. I think we lost a bit of our attacking depth, lost fluency in possession, and allowed them to regain their shape somewhat,” said Martinez.
“The confidence they gained after the goal made the game very difficult, but that’s what happens at World Cups.
“I’m very satisfied with the team’s attitude. It wasn’t a problem of lacking commitment or heart; we kept trying until the very end. We can grow a lot from this match.”
The result leaves DR Congo well placed heading into their remaining Group K fixtures. The Leopards will return to action against Colombia on June 23 before concluding their group campaign against Uzbekistan on June 27.
After earning a hard-fought point against one of the tournament’s biggest names, DR Congo will now believe they can compete with anyone in the group as they continue their quest for a place in the knockout stages.
