On June 18, according to Yonhap News, Portugal faced Congo at the Houston Stadium in Texas, where they were unable to secure a win.
Ronaldo, serving as the team captain, started as the striker in a 4-2-3-1 formation, marking his 23rd appearance in World Cup matches.
Portugal took the lead in the sixth minute when Pedro Neto delivered a precise cross from the left flank, which João Neves converted with a header.
However, in stoppage time of the first half, Congo equalized dramatically from a corner kick, marking their first-ever World Cup goal recorded under the name 'Democratic Republic of the Congo.'
In the 68th minute, Ronaldo finally had a scoring opportunity after failing to register a shot throughout the match, but he missed the timing for a precise shot, sending the ball wide of the right post.
Five minutes later, Ronaldo attempted to convert a cutback pass from Fernandes into a shot, but it also went off target.
Portugal struggled to break through Congo's resilient defense for the remainder of the match.
Meanwhile, Congo secured their place in this World Cup after a fierce competition, edging out Jamaica in the intercontinental playoffs, marking their return to the tournament for the first time since the 1974 West Germany event.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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