World Cup shocker: Portugal held to historic draw against DRC

by Chumasande Matiwane
Portugal held to historic draw against DRC.

One of the biggest surprises of the 2026 FIFA World Cup unfolded last night as tournament favourites Portugal were held to a dramatic 1-1 draw by the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) in their Group K opener. The result marked DRC’s first-ever World Cup point and sent shockwaves through the tournament.

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How did Portugal and DRC draw?

Portugal appeared to be cruising toward victory when midfielder João Neves opened the scoring in the sixth minute, finishing off an early attacking move that put the European giants in control. With Cristiano Ronaldo leading the line in his record-equalling sixth World Cup appearance, many expected Portugal to dominate proceedings.

But the African nation wouldn’t allow that.

Ronaldo has now gone 10 consecutive major tournament games without scoring for Portugal.

For the Portugal side, this draw raises immediate questions about their form and ambitions. Widely tipped as contenders for the title, Roberto Martínez’s side now faces increased pressure in upcoming Group K matches against Uzbekistan and Colombia.

During the match, Ronaldo missed key opportunities, while DR Congo looked dangerous on the counterattack and nearly completed an even greater upset when Cedric Bakambu struck the post.

So close yet so far, but what remains is the fearless performance DRC showed against one of the tournament’s strongest teams and proved they can compete on the biggest stage.

With last night’s performance from Portugal, the question remains: Should Ronaldo be on the starting line-up when Portugal face Uzbekistan on Tuesday?

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