Portugal were forced to settle for a disappointing 1-1 draw against a spirited DR Congo side in their opening match of the FIFA World Cup.
Midfielder Joao Neves gave Portugal the perfect start, heading home in the sixth minute to put Roberto Martinez’s men ahead.
Despite dominating possession for much of the contest, Portugal struggled to create clear-cut chances and paid the price just before halftime.
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In the fifth minute of first-half stoppage time, Newcastle United striker Yoane Wissa was left unmarked inside the box and headed in Arthur Masuaku’s cross from close range to score DR Congo’s historic first-ever World Cup goal.
The result marked a significant improvement for DR Congo, formerly known as Zaire, whose only previous World Cup appearance in 1974 ended in three defeats and a combined scoreline of 14-0.
Ranked 46th in the world, the Congolese side looked organised defensively and remained dangerous on the counter-attack. Cedric Bakambu came close to giving his side the lead, striking the post from close range, although the effort would not have counted due to an earlier foul. He later fired another opportunity wide.
Portugal captain Cristiano Ronaldo equalled Lionel Messi’s record by appearing in a sixth FIFA World Cup finals. However, the 41-year-old was unable to make history by becoming the first player to score in six different World Cups.
Ronaldo’s best opportunities arrived midway through the second half when he twice connected with low crosses from substitute Francisco Conceicao, but both efforts drifted narrowly wide.
Remarkably, Portugal managed only four shots throughout the game, with Joao Neves’ early header from Pedro Neto’s cross standing as their lone effort on target as DR Congo claimed a deserved point.