Portugal vs DR Congo: Result, Stats & Predictions (World Cup 2026)
Portugal were held to a shock 1-1 draw by DR Congo in Houston, with Yoane Wissa's header denying Ronaldo's side a winning start.
17 June 2026
Portugal 1–1 DR Congo — World Cup 2026 Group K
Result
Portugal were frustrated to a 1–1 draw by DR Congo in their World Cup opener in Houston. João Neves headed Portugal in front after six minutes, meeting a Pedro Neto cross at the near post. DR Congo equalised in first-half stoppage time through Yoane Wissa, who thumped a powerful header into the roof of the net from Arthur Masuaku's whipped cross. Despite 68% possession and sustained second-half pressure, Portugal — including a subdued Cristiano Ronaldo — could not find a winner. The draw is a historic point for Congo.
What it means for Last Man Standing pools
Portugal were one of the safer-looking picks in the group stage — a team loaded with Champions League winners facing a side making only their second-ever World Cup appearance. Anyone who backed Portugal this week will have been watching that second half through their fingers. The draw means pool players who leaned on Portugal have burned a pick without the reward. In Last Man Standing formats, the lesson here is a familiar one: big names and possession statistics don't guarantee three points.
Pre-match forecasts
Portugal were heavy pre-match favourites. Dimers gave them a 72.7% win probability, while Opta's 25,000 pre-match simulations had Portugal winning in 54.5% of outcomes, with a draw in 22.3% and a Congo win in 23.2%. The most commonly predicted scoreline was a 2–0 Portugal win. The result confounded the forecasts entirely — DR Congo, ranked outside the top 50 globally, earned a point that almost no model considered the most likely outcome. Portugal's inability to convert possession into goals will concern Roberto Martínez ahead of the next group game.
Standout stats
Yoane Wissa's header was DR Congo's first ever goal at the FIFA World Cup, ending a 52-year wait since they last qualified for the tournament, per FIFA tournament records. It came from DR Congo's first serious attacking threat of the match — a clinical finish in a game where Portugal had dominated the ball. According to Opta match data, Portugal registered 68% possession but struggled to create clear chances against a well-organised defensive block. Ronaldo received a rating of 5.9/10 from multiple match analysts, one of the lowest of his major tournament career, with the Brentford forward Wissa rated higher at 7.8/10 despite playing for the team that spent most of the match defending. It was a result that will define narratives for the rest of the group stage.
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