DR Congo claimed their first ever FIFA World Cup point after battling to a deserved 1-1 draw against Portugal in a Group K encounter at Houston Stadium on Wednesday, with Yoane Wissa writing his name into the history books.
The match marked the first meeting between the two nations, and it was Portugal who made the brighter start. Roberto Martinez’s side took the lead after just six minutes when Joao Neves rose highest inside the penalty area and powered a superb header beyond goalkeeper Lionel Mpasi.
The midfielder timed his run perfectly, got in front of his marker and directed his effort into the far corner from 12 yards out. The goal arrived after five minutes and 32 seconds, making it the second fastest goal of the tournament. Only Germany’s Felix Nmecha had scored quicker, also at Houston Stadium against Curacao.
DR Congo responded positively and nearly found an equaliser in the 11th minute. Yoane Wissa collected the ball on the edge of the box, shifted onto his left foot and curled a strike narrowly wide of the left post as the African side looked dangerous on the counterattack.
Portugal continued to dominate possession, but DR Congo remained disciplined and difficult to break down. In the 18th minute, Nuno Mendes burst into the box before Aaron Wan-Bissaka produced an outstanding recovery tackle to deny the Portuguese defender a shooting opportunity. The loose ball then fell to Bruno Fernandes, whose effort failed to hit the target.
Cristiano Ronaldo nearly capitalised on a defensive mistake two minutes later when he attempted to chase down a back pass, but Lionel Mpasi reacted quickly and reached the ball before the veteran forward.
Portugal controlled the midfield throughout the first half, with Vitinha completing 52 passes by the 25th minute. That achievement made him only the second midfielder on record since 1966 to complete more than 50 passes by that stage of a World Cup match, following Spain’s Rodri, who completed 64 against Japan in 2022.
Despite enjoying almost 80 percent possession and completing 489 passes in the opening half, Portugal struggled to create clear-cut chances. Meanwhile, DR Congo looked increasingly threatening whenever they moved forward.
Their persistence paid off deep into first-half stoppage time. After winning consecutive corners, DR Congo worked the ball short before Arthur Masuaku delivered an inviting cross into the box. Wissa found space, met the ball with a glancing header and guided it beyond Diogo Costa for DR Congo’s first ever World Cup goal.
The goal capped an impressive first-half display from the African side, who entered the break level despite Portugal’s overwhelming control of possession. DR Congo had also registered more shots and produced a stronger expected goals tally than their opponents.
The second half followed a similar pattern. Portugal monopolised the ball, but DR Congo continued to create the more dangerous opportunities. Diogo Costa had to remain alert in the 55th minute when Cedric Bakambu dispossessed Bruno Fernandes and fired a powerful angled effort towards the near post, forcing the goalkeeper into an excellent save.
Portugal’s frustrations grew as the game progressed. By the 65th minute, they had managed only one shot since Neves’ early opener despite dominating possession. Two minutes later, Cristiano Ronaldo found himself in a promising position, but Francisco Conceicao’s cut-back arrived slightly behind him and the veteran striker failed to generate enough power on his effort.
Ronaldo had another opportunity in the 73rd minute following a well-worked move, but he sent his shot wide of the target. Portugal continued to search for a winner without success.
Bruno Fernandes tried his luck from 20 yards in the closing moments, but his effort drifted wide and never troubled Mpasi.
At the final whistle, DR Congo celebrated a historic result as they secured their first ever World Cup point. Portugal, meanwhile, were left stunned after failing to convert their dominance into victory.
The result also extended Portugal’s unbeaten record against teams from sub-Saharan Africa at the World Cup to four matches, with three wins and one draw. Before this encounter, Portugal’s only World Cup defeats against African opposition had come against Morocco in 1986 and in the quarter-finals of the 2022 tournament.
The match also added another milestone to Cristiano Ronaldo’s remarkable career. At 41 years and 132 days old, he became the oldest outfield player ever to start a FIFA World Cup match. The Portuguese captain also joined Lionel Messi as only the second player to appear in six different World Cup tournaments, having featured in the 2006, 2010, 2014, 2018, 2022 and 2026 editions.
While Portugal dominated possession and controlled large parts of the contest, DR Congo showed resilience, organisation and belief. Wissa’s historic goal ensured the African nation left Houston with a memorable point and a place in World Cup history.
