FIFA World Cup 2026 | Group K | Wednesday, 17 June 2026 Houston Stadium, Houston, Texas
Cristiano Ronaldo became the oldest outfield player to ever start a World Cup match on Wednesday. Forty-one years and 132 days old. Sixth World Cup. Twenty-third appearance, level with Paolo Maldini for fourth on the all-time list. The history was his before a ball had even been kicked.
By full time, the history belonged to someone else.
DR Congo earned their first-ever point at a World Cup finals. A nation appearing at the tournament for the first time since 1974, when they were still known as Zaire. Their preparations disrupted by an Ebola outbreak back home. None of it mattered once Yoane Wissa rose to meet a header in first-half stoppage time and levelled the scores at 1-1.
That is how it finished. Portugal 1-1 DR Congo. A result that will be remembered very differently on each side of the Atlantic.
João Neves had given Portugal the lead inside six minutes — early, clinical, exactly the start the European heavyweights wanted. For a moment it looked like business as usual. Ronaldo’s record-equalling sixth World Cup appeared set to begin with the routine three points everyone expected.
DR Congo did not see it that way. They matched Portugal stride for stride for long stretches of the first half, refusing to sit back and accept the gulf in reputation between the two squads. Cedric Bakambu — 35 years old, still leading the line with real conviction — shrugged off Bruno Fernandes at one point and forced a shot back off the near post. The warning signs were there well before the equaliser arrived.
It came in the fifth minute of first-half stoppage time. Wissa rose above the Portuguese defence and headed home. The away end of Houston Stadium — packed with Congolese supporters who had travelled from across the diaspora — erupted in scenes that will be replayed for years. 1-1 at the break. Nobody inside the stadium expected that scoreline when Neves scored inside the first six minutes.
The second half brought chance after chance for Portugal without the finishing touch to match. Ronaldo was handed the clearest opportunity of his afternoon when Francisco Conceição slipped him through — he sent it wide of the post. Minutes later the same combination worked again, Conceição finding him a second time. Same outcome. Wide again. Bernardo Silva struggled to impose himself throughout, with Conceição offering a far livelier presence in comparison whenever he was involved.
DR Congo, energised by their goal, kept pushing for more. Steve Kapuadi headed wide from a promising position as Sebastien Desabre’s side continued to probe Portugal’s defence in search of what would have been an extraordinary winning goal.
Yellow cards arrived late as frustration set in on the Portuguese side — Tiago Araújo booked for a heavy challenge on Wissa in stoppage time, Nélson Semedo also cautioned minutes earlier. Both could have been worse than yellows given the nature of the challenges. Portugal won a string of late corners but Lionel Mpasi claimed everything that came into his box, unchallenged in the air on multiple occasions as the Congolese goalkeeper produced a goalkeeping masterclass to protect the point.
Bruno Fernandes had the last meaningful action of the match — a left-footed strike from 20 yards that drifted just wide of the near post as Portugal’s box was crowded with bodies in the dying seconds. It summed up the afternoon. Chance after chance. Nothing to show for it beyond the early Neves goal.
Full time: Portugal 1-1 DR Congo. Statistically Portugal dominated — 68% possession, seven attempts to DR Congo’s eight, but only one shot on target compared to the Léopards’ two. The underlying numbers tell you Portugal created more, but the chances that mattered most fell to the side that needed them more.
Desabre could barely contain his pride afterwards. He spoke about the difficulty of the match against a stronger opponent, about the courage and resilience his players showed, and about what scoring DR Congo’s first-ever World Cup goal means for the character of this team. The most important thing now, he said, is to keep going.
For Portugal, there will be frustration despite the result not being a defeat. Ronaldo, so often the difference at major tournaments throughout his career, was a peripheral figure for long stretches and could not add a ninth World Cup goal to his remarkable tally. Roberto Martínez will want considerably more from his attacking players against the rest of Group K.
For DR Congo, regardless of what happens next, Wednesday already stands among the greatest moments in the country’s footballing history.
For live World Cup scores from every group, visit fawanews.org.uk. Full results, standings and fixtures at the official FIFA World Cup website.
Portugal 1-1 DR Congo FIFA World Cup 2026, Group K, Match 23 | Wednesday, 17 June 2026 Houston Stadium, Houston, Texas
Goals: João Neves 6′ (Portugal), Yoane Wissa 45’+5′ (DR Congo) Yellow Cards: Nélson Semedo 88′ (Portugal), Tiago Araújo 90’+2′ (Portugal, serious foul play)
Portugal: Diogo Costa; Semedo, Araújo, Silva, Cancelo; Neves J., Vitinha (Ramos 83′); Silva B., Fernandes, Conceição; Ronaldo
DR Congo: Mpasi; defenders including Kapuadi; Kayembe, midfielders; Bakambu (Banza 85′), Wissa
Stats: Possession Portugal 68% — DR Congo 25% (7% contested) | Attempts 7-8 | Shots on Target 1-2 | Half-time: 1-1
Notable: Ronaldo becomes oldest outfield player to start a World Cup match (41 years, 132 days) and second-oldest outfield player to ever appear, behind Roger Milla. DR Congo claim their first-ever World Cup goal and point, appearing for the first time since 1974 as Zaire.
