World Cup 2026: DR Congo holds Cristiano Ronaldo’s Portugal at halftime!

17.06.26 FT World Cup

Portugal

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DR Congo

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Portugal and DR Congo head into halftime level at 1-1 in this opening Group K clash of the 2026 World Cup. Despite dominating the match, the Seleção were punished by a clinical Leopards side, who remain firmly in the hunt for a major upset.

The first half between Portugal and DR Congo produced an entirely unexpected script in this Group K showdown at the 2026 World Cup. Despite near-total control of possession and tempo from the Seleção, the Leopards showed remarkable resilience to pull level just before the interval (1-1).

Read also: World Cup 2026 / Portugal - DR Congo: the official lineups are out!

Everything seemed to be going according to plan for Portugal when João Neves opened the scoring early in the 6th minute, heading home precisely from a Pedro Neto cross. However, Roberto Martínez’s men, despite a staggering 79% possession, failed to create real danger after that opener and allowed DR Congo to keep believing. In the dying seconds of first-half stoppage time, Yoane Wissa capitalized on a defensive lapse to bring his side level (45+4’).

Pinned back for long stretches and forced to defend deep, Sébastien Desabre’s men showed real character, with crucial interventions from Chancel Mbemba and Aaron Wan-Bissaka. Cristiano Ronaldo, meanwhile, was kept in check and never found in dangerous positions. Everything remains up for grabs in the second half, where the Leopards can still dare to dream against one of the tournament favorites.

Mahdi Zakaria LAZRI |

Editor

Football web writer creating digital sports content with a focus on news, analysis and stories that reflect passion, accuracy and objectivity.

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