Portugal 1–1 Congo DR: Wissa header earns the Leopards a historic first World Cup point
Portugal were held to a 1–1 draw by Congo DR in their Group K opener in Houston, frustrating a side led by 41-year-old Cristiano Ronaldo, who became the oldest outfield player ever to start a World Cup match. João Neves put Portugal ahead inside six minutes, heading home a Pedro Neto cross to become one of the youngest Portuguese scorers in World Cup history.
Congo DR levelled deep in first-half stoppage time when Arthur Masuaku's cross was powered home by Yoane Wissa — the nation's first goal at a World Cup in their first appearance for 52 years. After the break João Cancelo had an overhead-kick effort ruled out for offside, and Ronaldo could not find the winner as the Leopards held on for a landmark point.
Key moments
- •João Neves headed Portugal in front in the 6th minute from a Pedro Neto cross.
- •Yoane Wissa equalised in first-half stoppage time (45+5) with a header from an Arthur Masuaku cross — Congo DR's first ever World Cup goal.
- •Cristiano Ronaldo, at 41, became the oldest outfield player to start a World Cup match but failed to score.
- •A second-half João Cancelo overhead kick was disallowed for offside.
- •Congo DR earned their first ever World Cup point in their first appearance in 52 years.
Timeline
Match facts
- Houston, Texas
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- Referee: Abdulrahman Al Jassim (Qatar)
Match report generated from publicly available sources. Facts are drawn from the sources below.