DR Congo hold Portugal to a draw in their World Cup 2026 opener
- Author: Vahe Hakobyan
- Sportaran
DR Congo and Portugal played out a draw in the first round of the 2026 FIFA World Cup group stage.
The Group K match ended 1-1.
Portugal took an early lead through Joao Neves, who opened the scoring with a header. However, DR Congo managed to respond before half-time. Yoane Wissa scored late in the first half and secured a historic result for his national team.
The goal became DR Congo’s first-ever goal in World Cup history. The African side also earned their first point at the tournament after returning to the World Cup finals following a 52-year absence.
In the second half, Portugal tried to increase the pressure and find a winning goal, but DR Congo held firm and kept the draw.
Colombia and Uzbekistan are also in this group and will play their match later.
It should be noted that Timothy Fayulu, the goalkeeper of Armenian club Noah, was included in DR Congo’s squad but remained on the bench.