Portugal 1-1 DR Congo: Cristiano Ronaldo frustrated as Yoane Wissa earns World Cup point
Yoane Wissa scored a historic equalizer in first-half stoppage time as DR Congo held pre-tournament favorites Portugal to a shocking 1-1 draw in Houston.
Cristiano Ronaldo was left frustrated and an under-par Portugal were forced to settle for a disappointing 1-1 draw against a resilient DR Congo side making their first World Cup appearance since 1974. Roberto Martinez’s side entered the Group K opener as overwhelming favorites in Houston, but a flat performance and squandered chances from their iconic captain leaves them with plenty of questions to answer.
Things had started perfectly for the European heavyweights. With just six minutes on the clock, Pedro Neto found space on the flank and delivered an exquisite cross into the penalty area. Midfielder João Neves timed his run to perfection, planting a firm header past Lionel Mpasi to give Portugal an early advantage. The Seleção dominated possession for long periods of the first half, hogging up to 79% of the ball, but they failed to convert dominance into clear-cut opportunities.
Just as Portugal looked ready to cruise into the interval, the Leopards bit back with a moment of pure history. In the fifth minute of first-half stoppage time, Arthur Masuaku sent a pinpoint delivery into the box, and Yoane Wissa met it with a close-range header to score DR Congo’s first-ever goal at a FIFA World Cup. The equalizer sparked wild celebrations among the Congolese contingent in Texas, completely shifting the momentum.
The African nation came out with renewed belief after the break and almost took the lead when Cédric Bakambu’s effort rattled the outside of the post. Portugal quickly responded, and thought they had restored their lead through a spectacular bicycle kick from João Cancelo, only for the linesman’s flag to rule it out for offside.
As the clock ticked down, the spotlight inevitably turned to Ronaldo. The 41-year-old, competing in a historic sixth World Cup, was starved of quality service for much of the game but failed to convert when the moments finally arrived. In the 68th minute, he dragged a golden opportunity wide of the right-hand post from ten yards out, before seeing a carbon-copy chance thwarted by a vital challenge from Axel Tuanzebe just six minutes later.
Martinez threw on Rafael Leão and Gonçalo Ramos in a desperate bid to find a late winner, but the central African defense, marshaled superbly by captain Chancel Mbemba, stood incredibly firm. DR Congo held on for a famous and thoroughly deserved point, leaving a lackluster Portugal facing an uphill battle to assert their authority on Group K.
