“Portugal fell asleep after scoring.” The words came from former France striker Olivier Giroud, speaking to BBC One at halftime in Houston. Portugal’s “sleep” was broken after the interval, but the win never came. DR Congo, back at a World Cup after 52 years, grabbed an equalizer in first-half stoppage time, when Portugal’s attack was all but “asleep” and their midfield had turned sluggish.
The African side seized the chance to score their first-ever World Cup goal. That goal held Portugal to a 1-1 draw, another upset delivered by the smaller nations at this tournament. It was more than that: the memorable draw also earned DR Congo their first World Cup point.
Yet the match could have belonged to Cristiano Ronaldo. He became the first player in history to play in a sixth World Cup, drawing level with Lionel Messi’s record at Houston Stadium less than 24 hours after Messi reached the mark in Kansas. On the pitch, though, he came nowhere near his great rival’s performance. Ronaldo, who also set a record as the oldest outfield player named in a starting eleven in World Cup history, often looked a spectator. He had just 16 touches in the first half, only once entering the opposition box — in effect, a bottled-up onlooker. He could not escape his own shadow after the break either.
But “Minnows” DR Congo, 36 places below the European powerhouse in the FIFA rankings, managed it all the same. They stepped out of the small side’s shadow, looked Portugal in the eye and took a point, delivering a genuine “shock” to the World Cup.
Early on, the match was under Portugal’s control. After 5 minutes and 32 seconds, midfielder Joao Neves headed the former European champions in front. When Neves scored from forward Pedro Neto’s cross from the left, many thought 43rd-ranked Congo might be in for a heavy defeat. Wrong. Far from it: with Newcastle forward Yoane Wissa and West Ham defender Aaron Wan-Bissaka, DR Congo went on the attack instead. Their equalizer, headed in by Wissa from a cross on the left in the fifth minute of stoppage time, was the result. The commentator’s voice swelled with emotion: “We have history in Houston!” It was DR Congo’s first-ever World Cup goal — a side that conceded 14 goals in three matches at the 1974 World Cup — and it came against Portugal.
বাংলায় মূল প্রতিবেদন পড়ুন · Read the original Bengali report