DR Congo marked a historic return to the World Cup on Wednesday in Houston, holding Portugal to a 1-1 draw and scoring their first-ever goal at the tournament since their debut as Zaire in 1974.
Yoanne Wissa struck with the final action of the first half, converting from a DR Congo corner to cancel out João Neves’ early header and secure a deserved equaliser for the African side.
Despite dominating possession, Portugal struggled to turn control into clear chances, with their attacking stars Cristiano Ronaldo and Bruno Fernandes largely quiet throughout the contest.
Ronaldo came closest after the break, firing a shot inside the box just wide before another effort was blocked.
Coach Roberto Martínez tried to shift the momentum late on, introducing Gonçalo Ramos alongside Ronaldo in the 83rd minute in place of PSG midfielder Vitinha, but the tactical change failed to produce a winner.
Fernandes nearly snatched all three points in the 90th minute, but his curling effort drifted narrowly wide of the post.
The result comes with added historical weight for DR Congo, who once suffered a 9-0 defeat to Yugoslavia in 1974—still one of the heaviest losses in World Cup history.
Now, they find themselves in a strong position in Group K, which also includes Colombia and Uzbekistan, with realistic hopes of reaching the Round of 32.
DR Congo secured their place at the tournament after a remarkable qualifying run, defeating Cameroon and Nigeria in the African playoffs before edging past Jamaica in extra time in the inter-confederation playoffs.
For Portugal, the draw represents a frustrating start to their campaign. Still tipped to win the group, they will be concerned about a lack of cutting edge as they chase a deeper run than recent tournaments, having reached the quarterfinals only once since finishing fourth in 2006 under Ronaldo’s early international career.
