Congo Equalizes Against Portugal in the First Half of FIFA World Cup 2026 Opener

In the first half, DR Congo was more aggressive than Portugal, registering six attempts compared to Portugal’s two. On June 17, in Kathmandu, during the Group K match of the FIFA World Cup 2026 at Houston Stadium, Yohan Visale of Congo scored an equalizer in the fourth minute of injury time in the first half. This marked DR Congo’s first World Cup goal after a 52-year absence from the tournament.

DR Congo previously participated in the World Cup in 1974, when the nation was known as Zaire. They were defeated in all three group stage matches and failed to score any goals. The first half concluded with the score level at 1-1, making the match highly competitive after Congo’s equalizer.

Earlier, João Neves of Portugal had put his team ahead in the sixth minute with a headed goal from Pedro Neto’s cross. Despite Portugal’s early lead, Congo dominated offensively in the first half with six shots compared to Portugal’s two attempts. Portugal’s captain Cristiano Ronaldo is appearing in his sixth consecutive World Cup, becoming the second player after Argentina’s captain Lionel Messi to achieve this milestone.