Portugal have been held by Democratic Republic of Congo with a 1-1 draw in Houston to open Group K.
It was a frustrating game for Cristiano Ronaldo, who started and played the full 90 minutes.
Both goals came in the first half as João Neves headed home just after five minutes — but Yoane Wissa responded with a header of his own on the stroke of half-time to get the Leopards level.
And while both sides had opportunities in the second 45, Roberto Martinez’s men could not make their dominance of possession count for a winner.
Portugal are making their ninth World Cup appearance, and have reached at least the knockout stages in four of their last five tournaments.
Cristiano Ronaldo’s first World Cup appearance came in Germany in 2006. Twenty years later, the Portugal captain is still leading his country on football’s biggest stage.
Before tonight, DR Congo had not played a World Cup match since a 3-0 defeat to Brazil in West Germany in 1974, when they exited in the group stage.
Appointed in 2022, Sébastien Desabre guided DR Congo to the semifinals of the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations — and has attacking talent at his disposal including Yoane Wissa and Cédric Bakambu — the former getting on the scoresheet.
Their place in North America was finally secured in dramatic fashion on 31 March, when former Manchester United defender Axel Tuanzebe scored an extra-time winner against Jamaica in Guadalajara to come through via the intercontinental playoffs.