Portugal held to 1-1 draw by DR Congo in their World Cup 2026 opener
Key takeaways
- Joao Neves opens the scoring for Portugal with early goal but Yoane Wissa equalises in first-half injury time.
- Yoane Wissa’s header cancelled out Joao Neves’s early goal on Wedmesday and the African side – appearing in their first World Cup since 1974 when it was known as Zaire – more than held their own.
- Ronaldo, 41, was largely a peripheral figure throughout the match – failing to make the impact his great rival Lionel Messi had done on Tuesday in scoring a hat-trick against Algeria.
Why this matters: an international story with cross-border implications worth tracking.
Joao Neves opens the scoring for Portugal with early goal but Yoane Wissa equalises in first-half injury time.
xwhatsapp-strokecopylinkgoogle Add Al Jazeera on Googleinfo Congo DR's Yoane Wissa celebrates after scoring his team's equaliser [AFP]By AFPPublished On 17 Jun 202617 Jun 2026Cristiano Ronaldo’s record-equalling sixth World Cup got off to a disappointing start as the Democratic Republic of the Congo secured their first ever point at the finals, drawing 1-1 with Portugal in their Group K match.
Yoane Wissa’s header cancelled out Joao Neves’s early goal on Wedmesday and the African side – appearing in their first World Cup since 1974 when it was known as Zaire – more than held their own.