SPORTSWORLD.AM
The opening round of Group K of the 2026 World Cup presented a real surprise to football fans. The Portuguese national team, which showed impressive and high-scoring football in the qualifying round, was unable to break the resistance of the Democratic Republic of Congo team: the match ended in a draw, with a score of 1:1.
A quick start and Ronaldo's historic achievement
Roberto Martinez's team entered the game as the favorites. The Portuguese had scored 20 goals in six games in Group F of the European qualifiers (including a 9-1 win over Armenia) and arrived in the United States with high hopes.
The match started at the behest of the Europeans. Already in the 5th minute, young talent Juan Neves opened the score of the match, 1:0. However, after the quick goal, the Portuguese noticeably slowed down the pace, and it seemed that Cristiano Ronaldo and his teammates were just strolling on the field.
However, this match became historic for the team captain: Ronaldo became the first player in football history to participate in his sixth World Cup, as well as the oldest player ever to be included in the starting lineup of a World Cup.
The unbreakable will of the "Tigers"
The DR Congo team, which had qualified for the finals after a 52-year hiatus (they last participated in 1974 as Zaire), proved that it was no coincidence that they found themselves alongside the powerful. Sebastien Desabry's team was not deterred by the reputation of their opponent and offered high pressing and a tough fight.
The Africans' persistence paid off at the end of the first half. In the 5th minute of added time, one of the team's stars, Yoan Visa, took advantage of his opportunity and restored the score to 1:1.
Missed opportunities and Cancelo's disallowed goal
In the second half, Portugal tried to increase the pressure. Roberto Martinez's men became more active and created several dangerous chances. One of the most impressive moments of the half was a goal scored by Juan Cancelo with a twist ("scissors") shot, which, however, was canceled by the referees due to an offside situation.
Despite the Portuguese's efforts in the final minutes, their game lacked freshness and overall energy, and the Congolese national team, led by Chancel Mbemba, performed flawlessly in defense. Portugal never managed to achieve a tangible result.
Thus, a tight draw is recorded at the start of Group K: the teams earn one point each, which significantly confuses the calculations of the group's favorites in the further struggle.