19/06/2026

SPORTS FRIDAY | JUNE 19, 2026

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2026 WORLD CUP

Ronaldo fails to shine ... as DR Congo earn historic World Cup point

Cristiano Ronaldo reacts after Portugal’s draw with DR Congo in yesterday’s World Cup Group K match

at Houston Stadium, Texas. – REUTERSPIC

C RISTIANO RONALDO’S record-equalling sixth World Cup got off to a disappointing start as Portugal were held to a 1-1 draw by the Democratic Republic of Congo, who secured the first point in their nation’s World Cup history in a memorable Group K clash in Houston yesterday. The Congolese, appearing at the finals for the first time since 1974 when the country competed as Zaire, produced a disciplined and spirited display to frustrate one of the tournament favourites. Portugal made the perfect start when Joao Neves powered home a header from Pedro Neto’s cross in the sixth minute. Roberto Martinez’s side appeared set to take control of the contest as they dominated possession, but they failed to turn that superiority into fur ther goals and were punished just before halftime. Yoane Wissa rose unmarked to head beyond Diogo Costa, sparking wild cele brations among the Congolese players and supporters.

match slipped away, and Martinez admitted his side lost intensity after taking the lead. “We lacked urgency after scoring and allowed them to regain their shape,” the Portugal coach said. “After the equaliser we played with pres sure and fear instead of continuing to control the game.” Martinez also defended his decision to leave Ronaldo on the pitch despite his strug gles. “When you need a goal, it makes no sense to take off the best goalscorer in world foot ball,” he said. For DR Congo coach Sebastien Desabre, the result was a reward for discipline and belief. “The players showed great mental strength,” he said. “We were a little nervous at the beginning but gradually grew into the game. “Tactically we were very disciplined and the players followed the plan perfectly.” Desabre said his side had capitalised on Portugal’s drop in intensity after the opening goal. he has gone without finding the net. His drought in World Cups and European Championships now stretches back 10 matches, 801 min utes. There is a question of how long that barren run would have to be for Martinez to drop him, or substitute him. There is, admittedly, the issue that Portugal lack high-class centre-for wards now, with Ramos now a Paris Saint-Germain substitute. But the replacement wingers Rafael Leao and Francisco Conceicao at least brought verve, with a speed and willingness to dribble at defend ers. Fernandes can like having runners around him, and arguably had too few, particularly in Portugal’s starting XI. Vitinha and Neves can excel at styl ish passing, but they still benefit from speed in front of them. Silva likes quick combination play. Can he do that with Ronaldo? Maybe, in the final reckoning, Portugal suffered from the clemency that was supposed to benefit them. Ronaldo should have been banned for this game, due to his red card against Ireland. A fixation on the famous that seems shared by Fifa and the United States may have been the real reason he escaped with a suspended suspen sion. But had Ronaldo been ineligible, Portugal would have been forced to investigate life without him, to either try another striker or another way of playing. And, terrifically as DR Congo played and impossible as it is to know for certain, it is hard to escape the sense that Portugal would have won if they played without Ronaldo. And so, as in Euro 2024, they risk sacrificing another chance of glory on the altar of his ego. – The Independent

The Newcastle United striker’s effort was a historic one, becoming DR Congo’s first-ever goal at a World Cup finals. The second half followed a similar pattern, with Portugal enjoying most of the ball but struggling to break down a determined Congolese defence. Joao Cancelo thought he had restored Portugal’s lead with an acrobatic overhead kick, only for the effort to be ruled out for off side. DR Congo continued to threaten on the counterattack and almost snatched a famous victory when veteran striker Cedric Bakambu shrugged off Bruno Fernandes before crash ing a shot against the near post. Ronaldo, meanwhile, endured a frustrating afternoon. The 41-year-old was largely a peripheral figure and failed to make the impact that his long-time rival Lionel Messi had managed with a hat-trick against Algeria a day earlier. His best opportunity arrived late in the game when substitute Francisco Conceicao slipped a pass into his path, but Ronaldo dragged his effort wide. Minutes later the same combination pro duced another chance, with the veteran again unable to find the target. Portugal’s frustration was evident as the stretch a defence or drag opponents out of position. Instead, Ronaldo stood on the fringes of the game. Even when a cross was headed in for a seemingly trademark Ronaldo goal, the scorer was actually the diminutive midfielder Joao Neves. The veteran eventually mustered three shots, none on target. There was a cost to Portugal beyond the inability to test goalkeeper Lionel Mpasi; another Lionel to come out on top against Ronaldo. For his first shot, the 41-year-old stabbed wide but should have left the ball for Bruno Fernandes, free behind him and visibly irritated. Ronaldo lingered on the pitch throughout the game. In one respect, there is a logic in that: why take off a man with a record 143 international goals, and the best part of 1,000 in professional football, when his team required a goal? He had moved so little that even a man in his forties may not have been exhausted. And yet, it underlined the impression he gets preferential treat ment. Two of the front three were substi tuted: the booked Bernardo Silva at half-time, Pedro Neto after 70 min utes, Even when Goncalo Ramos came on, it was Vitinha who went off. It conformed to a theme. In Euro 2024, Roberto Martinez removed Ronaldo in just one of his five appear ances. The strange alliance of captain and manager meant that decisions only impacted other players. Since then, Ronaldo has scored in qualifiers, in the Nations League, in the Saudi Pro League. And yet an ability to average almost a goal a game there again felt irrelevant at elite international level. The most significant number by the end was not Ronaldo’s 973 career goals but the nine tournament games

“This point is historic for our country, but we don’t want to stop here,” he said. “Our objective is still to qualify from the group.” – AFP/Agencies Sacrificing another WC for CR7’s ego

BY RICHARD JOLLY

ANYTHING Lionel Messi could do, Cristiano Ronaldo couldn’t do better. A day after the Argentinian began his World Cup in a manner to suggest his talent is timeless, his great rival started in a way to show his powers have waned with the passing of time. Messi’s treble against Algeria gives him 16 World Cup goals, dou ble Ronaldo’s tally. More perti nently, it justified Argentina’s policy of building a team around an age ing legend. For the third tournament in row, however, the danger is that Ronaldo holds Portugal back. A draw with the Democratic Republic of Congo highlighted the dif ficulties of trying to win the World Cup with a team of 10 men and a statue. For one of the favourites, it was a wretched start. Houston, they had a problem. Or he was the problem. Ronaldo’s impo tence condemned Portugal to a draw which, in turn, could mean there is no last reunion with Messi in the quarter finals in Kansas City. Fail to win the group and they will have to plot a different path alto gether. As Ronaldo appeared in a sixth World Cup, he remains yet to become the first player to score in six. He did not get particularly close. That Portugal had three-quarters of possession and an xG of just 0.69 could indicate their striker was starved of service. But when the player in question lacked the speed to run behind defenders or the movement to elude them, Portugal were trying to beat an obdurate side with a non-pres ence in the box. They could not press or