Portugal 1-1 DR Congo - Wissa Wrote 52 Years of History While Ronaldo Goes 10 Games Without a Goal

Portugal arrived in Houston as one of the favourites. They left with a question already ringing loud: can Ronaldo still decide World Cup games?

DR Congo (Les Leopards) returned after 52 years. Last time - 1974, still as Zaire, conceding 15 goals before scoring one. On Wednesday night they didn’t just avoid defeat - they took a point off FIFA’s No. 5.

The script felt Hollywood:

6th minute - João Neves puts Portugal ahead. Domination, 75% possession, Ronaldo starts - and becomes the oldest outfield player ever in a World Cup starting XI: 41 years 132 days. Match 23 at the tournament - level with Paolo Maldini.

The plot seemed set. Congo didn’t read the script.

Before half-time Arthur Masuaku crosses, Yoane Wissa powers a header home - 1-1. Congo’s first World Cup goal. First World Cup point. A moment that, per Al Jazeera, shook fans from Kinshasa to Niangara.

Opta numbers that hurt Portugal:

• 9 shots each - full parity between “giant” and “underdog”
• Ronaldo - 10 consecutive games without a goal at World Cups and Euros - the longest drought of his career
• the night before Messi scored his first World Cup hat-trick, Mbappé and Haaland scored too - while CR7 missed twice in the second half

FIFA noted: Ronaldo is the second-oldest outfield World Cup player ever behind Roger Milla (42 in 1994). Records yes. Goals no.

For Wissa (ex-Brentford, knows Ronaldo from Premier League days) - the night he promised would be worth the wait.

For Portugal - a yellow flag. Group K: Colombia, Uzbekistan ahead. The final game against Colombia may decide everything.

But the headline isn’t tactics. It’s that African underdogs reminded us again: at a World Cup the scoreboard doesn’t read FIFA rankings. It reads 45+5 and a header into the roof of the net.