FIFA World Cup

POR Portugal Portugal - COD Congo DR Congo DR

Portugal Portugal

Congo DR Congo DR

45' +5'
Y. Wissa
J. Neves
6'

Houston Stadium(Sold out)

Abdulrahman Ibrahim Al Jassim

Full-time: Portugal 1-1 DR Congo

After their early opener, Portugal were cancelled out by a plucky all-round effort from DR Congo, and can have no complaints at being held to a draw in their Group K opener.

End of second half

Full-time

90'

+ 2

Another Portugal booking

Again Portugal have to resort to a foul to stop a quick DR Congo break, and Araújo gets a yellow card for bringing down Wissa.

90'

+ 2

Into stoppage time

Five additional minutes have been indicated, just as Bruno Fernandes clips a shot wide from the edge of the area. Time for a late twist?

88'

Semedo sees yellow

The Portugal substitute brings down Wissa to stop a break and gets shown a yellow card. Both teams seem to be happy enough with a draw at this stage...

88'

Fresh legs for DR Congo

35-year-old Bakambu has been a real livewire today, but now gets to put his feet up for the final few minutes.

85'

Substitution

Gédéon Kalulu

Aaron Wan-Bissaka

85'

Substitution

Simon Banza

Cédric Bakambu

83'

Attacking change for Portugal

PSG attacker Gonçalo Ramos comes on for the remainder of the match.

83'

Substitution

Gonçalo Ramos

Vitinha

80'

Congo ahead on shot count

DR Congo's breaks have continue to cause problems in the second half, and it's difficult to say which side might be closer to a second goal...

Goal attempts

5off target

1on target

6off target

2on target

78'

Bakambu over

The Congolese attacker gets the ball on the break, and has a chance from the edge of the box but can't keep it down.

75'

Substitution

Joris Kayembe

Arthur Masuaku

75'

Substitution

Charles Pickel

Edo Kayembe

74'

Ronaldo steers wide again

Once again the ball is worked to Ronaldo on the right from Conceição, but the striker is put under pressure and hits off-target.

72'

Double change for Portugal

Rafael Leão and Nélson Semedo come on for the remaining 20 minutes - can they propel Portugal to an opening win?

72'

Substitution

Nélson Semedo

Nuno Mendes

72'

Substitution

Rafael Leão

Pedro Neto

68'

Ronaldo wide

Francisco Conceição cuts the ball back to Cristiano Ronaldo, who is about ten yards out but skewers his shot just wide to the right of the target - as the players pause for a final hydration break.

What can Portugal do?

The favourites look in need of a little creative spark as they continue to see their passing avenues closed down by DR Congo - or will their patient attacking finally pay off?

62'

Tough-tackling Africans

While Portugal continue to dominate the ball, DR Congo are not giving their opponents an inch.

Tackles won

57'

Substitution

Noah Sadiki

Ngal'Ayel Mukau

56'

Bakambu has another go

The DR Congo attacker is looking lively, and cracks another effort on the turn into the side netting, shortly before his side make their first change.

55'

Cancelo called offside

João Neves tees up João Cancelo to turn a tidy bicycle kick into the net from close range, but the former Bayern man is penalised for offside, and it won't count.

52'

Corner for time wasting

Mpasi takes too long taking a goal kick and is penalised under the new rule with a corner awarded to Portugal. Bruno Fernandes clips it in, but it gets cleared.

51'

Bakambu has a go

DR Congo work the ball into the box and Bakambu has a chance to shoot from a decent position, but has his shot stopped by Diogo Costa.

49'

Substitute looked for at far post

Pedro Neto chips the ball over to Francisco Conceição at the far post, but the fresh Portugal player can't reach it.

Back in action

The second half starts in Houston with Roberto Martínez making a half-time change.

Kick-off!

45'

+ 7

Substitution

Francisco Conceição

Bernardo Silva

Half-time: Portugal 1-1 DR Congo

Portugal were unable to press on after João Neves's early strike, and DR Congo got rewarded for their efforts on the stroke of half-time!

Half-time

DR Congo draw level!

The corner is played short and Yoane Wissa is free to head an Arthur Masuaku cross straight past Diogo Costa.

45'

+ 5

GOAL!

1:1

Assist:A. Masuaku

Goal probability

Goal probability determines the likelihood that the ball will land in the goal from every position on the pitch. The value is based on large amounts of data from previous years; factors such as shot angle, distance to goal and opponent pressure - as well as mathematical models.

21 %

Distance to Goal

The distance to goal is measured at the time of the shot - from the position of the ball to the center of the goal.

6.37 m

45'

+ 3

Pair of Congo corners

Moutoussamy hits an effort from 20 yards out that gets deflected behind, and while they can't threaten, they get another chance immediately afterwards.

45'

+ 1

Into stoppage time

Four additional minutes are indicated in Texas.

41'

Mexican wave time

The fans are having a blast in Houston, even if the action on the pitch has ebbed after Portugal's strong start.

38'

Midfield battle

The sides are taking turns to string passes together with little fully clicking for now, especially in the final thirds.

34'

Kayembe has a crack

The Congo player takes aim from 25 yards out, but the ball gets deflected through to Diogo Costa.

32'

Mbemba booked

Neto goes down when contesting an aerial challenge with the Congo veteran - who gets shown a yellow card.

32'

Yellow card

Chancel Mbemba

30'

Cancelo looks for Cristiano

The former Bayern full-back drills a cross for Ronaldo from the right, but the striker can't quite reach it and the ball runs out of play.

26'

Patient stuff

xGoals

The xGoals value of a club is calculated from the sum of all goal probabilities (goals and shots on goal) of that team. During a match, it’s easy to see whether the club is performing better than expected (goals > xGoals) - or maybe even higher (xGoals > goals).

Asides from the early goal, neither side has created too much of a threat just yet.

xGoals

0.14

0.07

Goals

23'

A little lull

Not for the first time in a match in North America this summer, the pace of the game drops a tad - and then the players pause for a hydration break.

18'

Pair of Portugal chances

Nuno Mendes has a shot blocked before Bruno Fernandes drags a shot wide. While the play has evened up somewhat, it's fair to say Portugal look the more dangerous going forward.

17'

Two shots apiece

After Portugal's initial onslaught and early breakthrough, DR Congo have sought to grow into the game.

Goal attempts

1off target

1on target

2off target

0on target

15'

Congo earn a corner

The African side attack again and gain the game's first corner as Cedric Bakambu has a shot deflected wide.

13'

Silva sees yellow

The Portugal midfielder goes late into a challenge against Edo Kayembe and becomes the first man in the referee's notebook.

13'

Yellow card

Bernardo Silva

11'

Wissa guides one wide

DR Congo threaten for the first time with their star striker sweeping a decent effort just wide to the left from the edge of the area.

Portugal keep pressing

Roberto Martinez's side look determined to set out their credentials for the crown, and are aiming to double their lead.

Neves sends Portugal in front!

The favourites gain an early breakthrough from a fluent attacking move. Cancelo clips a cross in from the right that is cleared out of the box, but the ball is fed to Neto on the left, who clips a cross in for João Neves to send an unstoppable header past Lionel Mpasi.

João Neves

GOAL!

1:0

Assist:P. Neto

Goal probability

10 %

Distance to Goal

The distance to goal is measured at the time of the shot - from the position of the ball to the center of the goal.

9.98 m

Portugal playing it around

The technically accomplished Portugal side are keeping the ball well in the opening stages.

We're off!

Kick-off in Houston, as Cristiano Ronaldo becomes the oldest outfield player in World Cup history.

Kick-off!

National anthem time

First we hear Portugal's, then DR Congo's - kick-off is imminent!

More on that Portugal line-up

João Cancelo, who spent six months on loan to Bayern Munich in 2023, starts in a strong Portugal side along with Renato Veiga, who once had a spell on loan to Augsburg. Leading the line is the legendary Cristiano Ronaldo, who is about to play in his sixth World Cup.

More on that Congo line-up

Newcastle striker Yoane Wissa will carry Congo's hopes of causing an upset. He featured as a late substitute in a 2-2 UEFA Champions League draw at Bayer Leverkusen in December.

Starting line-up: Congo DR

Formation:5-3-2

Starting line-up: Portugal

Formation:4-2-3-1

How they got here: Portugal

Portugal topped their group - which included Republic of Ireland, Hungary and Armenia - with four wins, one draw and one loss to book their place in a seventh straight tournament.

How they got here: Congo DR

After finishing two points adrift of Senegal, Sébastien Desabre's Congo DR overcame Jamaica in the inter-confederation play-offs to book themselves a first World Cup appearance since 1974, when they were known as Zaire.

Welcome!

Thanks for joining us for build-up and live coverage of this Group K encounter between Portugal and Congo DR at the Houston Stadium, USA, on Wednesday 17 June (kick-off 7pm CEST).