Ronaldo misfires as Portugal held 1-1 by DR Congo in World Cup opener

Cristiano Ronaldo missed two huge chances as Portugal were stunned by DR Congo in Houston, with Yoane Wissa scoring a historic equalizer in their 2026 World Cup clash.

WEBDESK – MEDIABITES NEWS 

Cristiano Ronaldo endured a frustrating night in Houston as Portugal were held to a shock 1-1 draw by DR Congo, with the veteran forward missing two golden second-half chances.

Portugal stumbled to a disappointing start to their FIFA World Cup 2026 campaign after being held to a 1-1 draw by DR Congo in their Group K opener in Houston on Wednesday night.

Roberto Martinez’s side looked set for a comfortable victory after midfielder Joao Neves headed Portugal into the lead inside six minutes. However, the European giants failed to build on their early dominance and produced just one shot on target throughout the match.

DR Congo, playing in their first World Cup since appearing as Zaire in 1974, showed remarkable resilience and stunned Portugal just before halftime when Yoane Wissa headed home the nation’s first-ever World Cup goal.

READ MORE: FIFA World Cup: England beat Croatia, Portugal held by DR Congo

The spotlight remained firmly on Cristiano Ronaldo, who endured another difficult outing on the international stage. The Portuguese captain missed two clear opportunities in the second half, extending his goal drought in major tournaments to 10 matches.

Portugal thought they had restored their lead midway through the second half when Joao Cancelo produced a spectacular bicycle kick, but the effort was ruled out for offside after a VAR review.

DR Congo nearly completed a famous upset moments later as Cedric Bakambu struck the outside of the post from close range.

Ronaldo then wasted Portugal’s best opportunities of the match in the 68th and 73rd minutes, failing to convert from promising positions as frustration grew among Portuguese supporters.

The draw leaves Portugal third in Group K behind Colombia, while DR Congo celebrated a historic point in their World Cup return.

After the match, Portugal manager Roberto Martinez admitted his team lost momentum after their early goal.

“We started the match very well, but after scoring, we lost attacking depth and fluency,” Martinez said. “This is what happens at World Cups. We can grow a lot from this match.”

Meanwhile, Wissa described scoring DR Congo’s first World Cup goal as a proud moment for his country.

“We showed courage and resilience against a stronger team,” he said. “Scoring our first goal is a huge source of pride.”

Portugal next face Uzbekistan in a crucial Group K fixture, while DR Congo will look to build on their historic result against Colombia.