Heavy favorites Portugal and a resilient DR Congo squad clashed Wednesday afternoon at NRG Stadium for a highly anticipated Matchday 1 Group K showdown at the 2026 World Cup. After the Selecao grabbed a rapid, early breakthrough, Cristiano Ronaldo and his teammates were stunned deep into first-half stoppage time when Yoane Wissa soared above the defense to bury a dramatic, late equalizer.
As expected, Portugal controlled possession early and created multiple chances against a deep Congo defense. The opening goal came in the sixth minute when Pedro Neto delivered a cross to the penalty spot, allowing Joao Neves to arrive from deep and head it in, holding a 1-0 lead until the equalizer came.
The historic moment unfolded during a clever short-corner routine, with Arthur Masuaku drifting inside from the right flank to orchestrate the attack. Whipping a pinpoint, dangerous cross into the heart of the 18-yard box, Masuaku picked out Wissa, who completely shook off his marker, Tomas Araujo, and rose unopposed to shoulder the hopes of his nation and smash home a thumping header.
The goal sparked massive celebrations at the Houston Stadium, marking the first World Cup goal in the history of the DR Congo national team. Although the nation competed in the 1974 tournament under its previous name, Zaire, this strike stands as a historical first for the country in the modern era.
During that 1974 appearance, Zaire suffered three consecutive group-stage losses without scoring a single goal. The team fell 2-0 to Scotland, 9-0 to Yugoslavia, and 3-0 to Brazil while conceding 14 goals.
see also
Portugal vs DR Congo LIVE Updates: Yoane Wissa stuns Portugal as second half begins all square in Houston (1-1)
Wissa representing the Premier League
Following several strong seasons at Brentford, Newcastle United signed Wissa for €57.70 million, though he only scored three goals during his debut season with the club. Despite that club form, his equalizer for the Leopards secures his place in international football history.
According to OptaJoe, Wissa is the first player from a Premier League club to score a nation’s first-ever World Cup goal since 2006. The last player to do so was Everton’s Tim Cahill, who scored Australia’s first tournament goal 20 years ago.
