Yoane Wissa scored a historic first-half stoppage-time equalizer to earn Congo DR their first-ever FIFA World Cup™ goal and point in a compelling 1-1 draw against Portugal.

The Group K clash at Houston Stadium also saw Cristiano Ronaldo break the record as the oldest outfield player to ever start a World Cup match, marking his 23rd tournament appearance to tie Italian legend Paolo Maldini.

Early Portuguese Dominance

Portugal took control of the match immediately, breaking the deadlock just six minutes into the game:

• Pedro Neto delivered an inviting cross into the box.
• Joao Neves rose highest to power a header past Congolese goalkeeper Lionel Mpasi.

Despite Portugal dominating the early exchanges, Les Léopards refused to back down, with Wissa firing a left-footed warning shot narrowly wide of Diogo Costa’s goal after 10 minutes.

A Historic Equalizer

Congo DR continued to threaten the Portuguese backline as the first half progressed. Five minutes into stoppage time, their persistence paid off:

• Arthur Masuaku floated a precise cross into the penalty area.
• Yoane Wissa met it with a powerful header to find the back of the net.

The strike marked Congo DR’s first-ever World Cup goal, coming 52 years after the nation’s tournament debut in 1974.

Tense Second Half

Portugal thought they had restored their lead shortly after the restart when Joao Cancelo executed a spectacular overhead kick. However, the goal was quickly disallowed as the full-back had strayed offside.

Buoyed by the equalizer, Sébastien Desabre’s side continued to press forward, with centre-back Steve Kapuadi heading just wide. At the other end, Cristiano Ronaldo failed to hit the target with two half-chances, leaving the teams to split the points in Houston.

Group K Standings