Portugal kicked off their 2026 FIFA World Cup campaign with a 1-1 draw against DR Congo on June 17 at NRG Stadium in Houston.
“Nothing was missing, this is football,” Ronaldo said after the match.
What happened on the pitch
João Neves put Portugal ahead early with a header. That lead lasted until Yoane Wissa equalized for DR Congo from a corner kick, still in the first half.
The expected goals numbers tell a story that Portuguese supporters probably don’t want to hear. DR Congo finished with an xG of 0.82, compared to Portugal’s 0.64. DR Congo also outshot Portugal 8-7 across the full 90 minutes.
