Portugal’s opening match of the 2026 World Cup qualifying in Group K ended in a 1-1 draw against the Democratic Republic of Congo. The match, played on Thursday, saw Cristiano Ronaldo unable to find the back of the net, continuing a recent scoring slump. Despite Portugal’s expectations of a strong start, DR Congo proved to be a resilient opponent. The draw highlights potential challenges for Portugal in their qualifying campaign. Details regarding the goalscorers were not provided in the initial report, but the result indicates a competitive match. This outcome places both teams on one point in Group K standings.