World Cup 2026: Rafael Leão praises DR Congo after draw with Portugal

17.06.26 FT World Cup

Portugal

1

:

DR Congo

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Portugal was held to a draw by the Democratic Republic of Congo (1-1) in their World Cup 2026 opener. After the match in Houston, Rafael Leão didn't hide his disappointment, but he also paid tribute to his opponents.

The Portuguese forward stated that this result was no surprise for his team.

We already knew that Congo was a strong side, with some excellent players competing in major European clubs.

According to the AC Milan player, the Leopards were especially dangerous on quick transitions. However, he mainly regretted the defensive mistakes that allowed Congo to equalize from a set piece:

Their strength is counter-attacks, but they scored from a corner after our errors.

Despite this setback, Leão believes Portugal largely controlled the game. He now urges his team to correct their mistakes ahead of the upcoming matches against Uzbekistan and Colombia:

Overall, we controlled the game, pushed until the final whistle but only came away with a point. Now, we'll get some rest, work on our mistakes, and focus on the next match.

Aliou Toundé |

Editorfr

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