Portugal 1-1 DR Congo: World Cup 2026 – live

Righto, Nick Ames’ match report is with us.

That means we’re done here, so thanks for your company. comments – sorry I couldn’t use them all – and do join Scott for England v Croatia. Peace.

“For Alex and any other Ronaldo fan,” says Matjaz Hribar, “68th and 74th minutes illustrate the ‘Ronaldo problem’ perfectly. Amazing players are reduced to waiting staff, expected to deliver coffee to the captain no matter what. Not just to deliver but PERFECTLY deliver because he cannot bother to receive the ball and create something for himself. In 68th minute he even took coffee that would be much more tasty for Bruno behind him. At least his hands are going up much less often than at previous championships … but he spends more. more time pedestrianising behind last line of Congolese players. Wonderful generation, these Portuguese players, very unlucky to have Ronaldo’s presence and Martinez’s ineptitude…”

Of the favourites, I don’t think it’s controversial to say France have been most impressive. I wonder if they actually played well, or if Michael Olise was just on one, but it barely matters – he’s now good enough to do that on a regular,. it’s hard to get more than one man on him because of the quality around him. I do, think there are much better midfields than France’s,. converting that on-paper superiority into scoring more goals than them is not easily done.

Is there another game imminent? I’d thought not, but apparently there is – and the great Scott Murray is bringing it youse.

Alex returns on Ronaldo: “I think the answer boils down less to ‘it is impossible to play a modern style’. more ‘Portugal don’t have the tools to cover his lack of defensive running like some other teams do’. The question of what he offers is a different one,. I do agree that when I see him play these days it is something between a twinge of sadness and a sense of my own mortality that his difficulties moving around evince. I’d like to see him as a super sub!”

I agree, off the bench he’d be a weapon [redacted]. I also think that Messi drops and helps with buildup, something Ronaldo also doesn’t do. Essentially. if he doesn’t score goals that are created for him, he doesn’t offer anything and, as we saw against Algeria, the same is not so of Messi.

Oh man, BBC have just shown footage from Lisbon, where people were watching the game,. when DRC score, a crew of about 15 go up, shouting and dancing. It’s great to see,. speaks well of the people around them – there are many places, I’m sure, where doing that would be bad for your health.

So how do Portugal improve? As I said below, if they’re sticking with Ronaldo –. nothing I’ve seen from Martinez tells me he’s the will or minerals to leave him out – I’d move Bernardo central, get the full-backs high, and try and get some tempo in the passing. If I’m leaving Ronaldo out, I’m probably bringing in Ramos,. also wondering if Neto or Leao might work up front.

The other game in this group. Uzbekistan v Colombia, kicks off seven hours from now. I’m not sure this result will delight either, who probably want Portugal to beat everyone,. at the same time, they’ve been shown how to stop them. Knowing and doing, though, are very different things.

After 52 year away, DR Congo are back, have their first World Cup point,. haven’t they deserved it, a lesson in fortitude, resilience, organisation and no little quality. Brilliant behaviour from them, a glorious buzz for us,. also a lesson for Portugal, who need to improve – a lot.

90+4 min Another Portugal corner, another come-and-claim from Mpasi, and that might be enough!

90+4 min We’ve not even been going a week, but already these are some serious group stages; the problem is that, for all the vibes, there’s not much jeopardy, but when they’re this joyous. intense, we can cope.

90+2 min Moutoussamy turns around the corner for Wissa. so Araujo, isolated with bare space in behind, bodychecks him; he’s booked.

90+1 min We’ll have five additional minutes.

90 min Portugal won’t panic – next for them it’s Uzbekistan –. though they’ve not looked as dull-witted as Spain did, there should be greater cohesion about them than this. They find Bruno, 25 yards out, who bored of relying on others, drills low …. wide of the near post. What a night is in prospect in Kinshasa and around the country; I’m excited from my box-room in north London.

88 min Cancelo drives a low cross into the box. Mpasi is in trouble here because he daren’t fumble … and he doesn’t, diving on it well. He’s been very solid today.

87 min Ramos spreads to Leao, who tries to go at Kalulu with no momentum, and just runs into him. This is wonderful stuff from DRC, an uplifting lesson in the art and craft of defending.

85 min Two more changes for DRC: Kalulu and Banza for Wan-Bissaka and the righteously shattered Bakambu.

83 min Portugal sacrifice Vitinha to get another striker on in the shape of Goncalo Ramos. I’d have made that change a while ago – a front two is much harder to defend than a one, especially when you’re sending in crosses. that one is ancient.

81 min But also, they’re miles away. Ten minutes. whatever’s added is a long time – though they’re looking pretty comfortable, a credit to Sébastien Desabre, who ‘s coached them. Again, they counter cleverly, Kayembe making a mess of his cross, but this isn’t simply a rearguard; they’re springing whenever they can. a winner for them wouldn’t be a massive shock. This is a lesson in how to play against a top team. the mentality – discipline in defence, conviction in attack – as critical as any tactical approach.

80 min Bruno is exerting more influence now. he turns in midfield, then lofts another pass over the top, this time out wide, for Conceicao … so Kapaudi fouls him. But he was already offside, meaning DRC have a free-kick, and they’re nearly there.

77 min DRC counter, Bakamubu barrelling through the middle and finding Sadiki, outside him. He then stops – exactly! – collects the return, and sidefoots wide of the near post. He’s played really well today, a one-man forward-line; his performance reminds me a little of El-Hadji Diouf’s for Senegal against France in the opening game of the 2002 edition,. not just because of their bleached blond hair.

77 min Portugal win another corner down the right,. Bruno’s floaty outswinger is miserable, in the air so long, Mpasi comes a fair way to collect.

76 min Gosh, alone in midfield, Sadiki has Wissa in space, snaps the ball forward …. Araujo stretches to intercept. That was very, very close, and superb defending with no margin for error.

74 min Better again from Portugal. Leao square to Bruno, whose first-time pass picks out Conceicao inside the box, right-hand side. This time, his cut-back is reasonable,. again, Ronaldo’s shot spins around the near post, Tuanzebe’s tackle doing plenty to put him off. He’s having another stormer.

72 min Before we recommence. that change we mentioned: Leao is on, replacing Neto, whole Semedo is on for Nuno Mendes.

71 min Martinez is extremely animated in the huddle, which brings us to Hugh Collins. “Presumably if Portugal go out in first round, Martinez will get and even better job? Managing Brazil, or maybe running SpaceX?”

Ha! And I agree, for what it’s worth, that what he did with Belgium made him someone I’d absolutely have swerved were I picking the Portugal manager,. also think he’s doing well to still be in it.

70 min And that is drinks ads. I actually think that’ll suit both teams, Portugal needing to regroup and DRC needing a breather.

68 min More like it from Portugal, Cancelo slipping a ball into the box for Conceicao, whose cut-back isn’t the best, slightly behind Ronaldo, but Bruno is there behind him …. you can probably guess the rest. Yup, Ronaldo takes the shot anyway, skewing it from right foot on to left, and wide of the near post.

66 min DRC are defending really well. look more comfortable in the second half, now they’re also looking to get forward when they can. We said at the start that their defence is decent,. Portugal are starting to irate, Mbemba dragging Mendes down – and he’s not pleased.

65 min Cancelo tries to slide a ball into the box for Conceicao, but Kapaudi is in quickly to challenge. Portugal need to move the ball quicker and pass forward sooner.

63 min What we’re not seeing from Portugal is Ronaldo darting off the last line to take passes nipped in behind by Bruno. I also thought we might see them strike up a similar cross-header relationship to the he forged with Casemiro last season,. so far, they don’t seem to be trying to make it happen.

61 min But he picks out Wissa, who heads away,. when the ball comes back, it ends up over the by-line for a goalkick. Portugal have created almost nothing this half; actually, in this game,. I don’t think it’ll be long before we see Leao, who I’d have sent on ahead of Conceicao.

60 min Conceicao. who’s been quiet so far, wins a corner down the right, this time to be taken by Mendes…

58 min DRC send on Sadiki for Mukau.

57 min The corner is no good,. DRC sustain the attack and, with Bruno dallying on the ball inside his own box, Bakumbu bounces him off it, then rams a shot against the near post … before the ref penalises him for a foul. That’s harsh and, had he scored, I don’t think VAR would’ve saved Portugal.

55 min Fernandes picks out a cross to Neves, swinging in from the left to the far side of the box,. Neves chests square for Cancelo to score via volleyed overhead, a brilliant goal … but from an offside position. I wonder if Neves, who was on, might’ve headed for goal, or taken down for himself, but in the meantime, DRC move downfield. win a corner. They fancy this, and they’re playing well.

53 min Mendes plays a one-two with Ronaldo, motoring into the box,. when the cut-back comes, Tuanzebe, with a bit of help, from Kapaudi, slides in to avert the danger.

53 min He goes low, looking for Ronaldo peeling away – think Anderton for Sherigham at Spurs in the mid-90s – but the ball’s a little behind him. Kapaudi is there to make the tackle.

52 min Portugal haven’t got going in the second half,. they’ve got themselves a corner because Mpasi hangs on to the ball for too long, losing his goalkick. That’s the first of these I’ve seen, and Bruno goes over to take.

50 min DRC knock it about in midfield, getting Portugal chasing, then Mukau punches into the box from out on the right, Bakambu screaming for the ball; he swivels. shoots, Diogo Costa just about palming away … then the flag goes up for offside.

48 min Portugal get it wide to Neto, who again teases in an inviting cross, Conceicao going down in a challenge with Masuaku. asking for a penalty, but there nowhere near enough going on there.

47 min “I must say,” must says Adam Foster. “Wayne Rooney’s explanation on BBC of the amazing intelligence involved in Ronaldo’s lack of movement is giving me Liz Truss vibes.”

I know what you mean, but also think standing still is an underrated skill; Bruno Fernandes also does this intelligently.

46 min We go again, Portugal sent out very early by Martinez – who also sends on Conceicao for Bernardo, presumably on the basis that he wants dribbling. speed on the outside, rather than a cunning passer and mover.