In the first round of Group K of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, the Democratic Republic of Congo drew 1-1 with Portugal.
Medianews.az reports that, in the match held at the Houston stadium, Portugal opened the score in the 6th minute with a goal by João Neves.
The Democratic Republic of Congo secured the equalizer with an accurate strike by Yoane Wissa during added time of the first half. The score did not change in the second half.
Cristiano Ronaldo, who could not demonstrate the expected performance in the match, became the target of criticism from both fans and the football community after the match.
After the game, fans of the Democratic Republic of Congo chanted "Messi, Messi" from the stands towards Ronaldo. These moments were widely discussed on social media.
With this result, the Democratic Republic of Congo achieved a historic success by earning its first point in World Cup history. The African representative gave a surprise start to the tournament with the draw against Portugal, considered one of the favorites in the group.