Roberto Martínez’s Portugal made the perfect start when Pedro Neto’s inch-perfect cross found João Neves, who rose brilliantly to head home after just six minutes. But instead of pressing their advantage, Portugal slowed the tempo and allowed DR Congo to grow into the game.
Yoane Wissa, a constant menace on the counter, eventually punished Portugal’s complacency. In first-half stoppage time, he ghosted in unmarked to glance Arthur Masuaku’s teasing cross past Diogo Costa.
The second half saw Portugal struggle to break down DR Congo’s compact defense, Softfootball gathered. João Cancelo thought he had restored the lead with an acrobatic strike, but VAR ruled it out for offside. Moments later, Cedric Bakambu rattled the post, underlining the danger posed by the Congolese attack.
Cristiano Ronaldo endured a frustrating evening, shadowed closely by Chancel Mbemba and Axel Tuanzebe, while Bernardo Silva was withdrawn at half-time after a subdued display. The result leaves Group H wide open, with Portugal failing to live up to their billing as pre-tournament favorites.
Lionel Messi on their other hand marked his historic 200th appearance for Argentina in unforgettable fashion, scoring a sensational hat-trick as the reigning world champions opened their FIFA World Cup campaign with a commanding victory over Algeria
Player Ratings
Portugal
| Player | Rating |
|---|---|
| Diogo Costa | 6.9 |
| João Cancelo | 7.1 |
| Tomás Araújo | 7.1 |
| Renato Veiga | 6.8 |
| Nuno Mendes | 6.4 |
| João Neves | 8.1 |
| Vitinha | 6.8 |
| Bernardo Silva | 5.7 |
| Bruno Fernandes | 7.0 |
| Pedro Neto | 6.9 |
| Cristiano Ronaldo | 6.7 |
| Sub: Francisco Conceição | 6.3 |
DR Congo
| Player | Rating |
|---|---|
| Lionel Mpasi-Nzau | 6.9 |
| Aaron Wan-Bissaka | 6.6 |
| Axel Tuanzebe | 6.8 |
| Chancel Mbemba | 7.3 |
| Steve Kapuadi | 6.6 |
| Arthur Masuaku | 7.5 |
| Edo Kayembe | 6.5 |
| Samuel Moutoussamy | 6.8 |
| Ngal’ayel Mukau | 6.2 |
| Yoane Wissa | 7.8 |
| Cedric Bakambu | 6.9 |
| Subs: Noah Sadiki (6.3), Joris Kayembe (6.4), Charles Pickel (6.2), Simon Banza (6.0), Gédéon Kalulu (6.0) |
Match Statistics
| Statistic | Portugal | DR Congo |
|---|---|---|
| Possession | 75% | 25% |
| Expected Goals (xG) | 0.64 | 0.82 |
| Total Shots | 7 | 8 |
| Shots on Target | 1 | 2 |
| Big Chances | 0 | 1 |
| Pass Accuracy | 92% | 78% |
| Fouls | 9 | 10 |
| Corners | 5 | 4 |
