Portugal vs Congo DR - prediction, team news, lineups

Portugal's hunt for glory astatine the 2026 World Cup volition statesman connected Wednesday erstwhile they unfastened their Group K run with a contention against Congo DR.

Selecao das Quinas person ne'er won the World Cup, but they are being tipped arsenic imaginable challengers for the trophy this summertime considering the prime successful their squad.

Match preview

Portugal's champion show successful the finals of a World Cup came backmost successful 1966, erstwhile they finished third. Since then, it has been a conflict for the nationalist side, who were 4th successful 2006 and losing quarter-finalists past clip retired successful Qatar.

Selecao das Quinas person underachieved successful this contention fixed the prime of their squads successful caller past - they person a caller large planetary rubric to their name, having triumphed astatine Euro 2016, but this is the trophy that a definite Cristiano Ronaldo truly wants.

Roberto Martinez's broadside are the beardown favourites to apical Group K, which besides includes Colombia and Uzbekistan, and they person entered the 2026 World Cup disconnected the backmost of 3 consecutive affable wins implicit USA, Chile and Nigeria.

Portugal finished their qualification run for this contention with a 9-1 triumph implicit Armenia, but they did suffer to Republic of Ireland precocious past year, and determination stay question marks implicit their quality to earnestly situation for the trophy this summer.

History volition beryllium made connected Wednesday arsenic Portugal fastener horns with Congo DR for the archetypal time, and it would spell down arsenic 1 of the biggest shocks successful the contention if they were incapable to flooded the Leopards successful Houston.

Congo DR really held Denmark to a goalless gully successful 1 of 2 pre-World Cup friendlies astatine the commencement of June, but they were beaten 2-1 by Chile past clip out.

The Leopards managed to suffice for their archetypal World Cup successful 52 years erstwhile Axel Tuanzebe's extra-time extremity gave them a 1-0 triumph implicit Jamaica successful their intercontinental play-off last successful Mexico backmost successful March.

Congo DR reached the last-16 signifier of the caller Africa Cup of Nations, and they person won 2 of their past 4 matches, lone suffering 1 decision successful the process.

The expanded World Cup has surely fixed Sebastien Desabre's squad a amended accidental of reaching the knockout circular of the competition, with 1 triumph successful the conception perchance being capable to suffice successful 3rd spot.

Portugal volition correspond Congo DR's toughest trial successful Group K, and their lucifer against Uzbekistan connected June 27 could beryllium important erstwhile it comes to their chances of advancing.

Portugal signifier (all competitions):

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Congo DR signifier (all competitions):

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Team News

Portugal person nary wounded concerns heading into this match, and determination are improbable to beryllium immoderate large surprises erstwhile it comes to their starting XI here, with 41-year-old Ronaldo acceptable to pb the enactment connected his 229th quality for the nationalist side.

Ronaldo volition beryllium aiming to adhd to his 143 planetary goals this summertime and volition beryllium looking to amended connected a disappointing 2022 World Cup, which saw him lone registry once.

The Al-Nassr striker was sent disconnected against Republic of Ireland successful a qualifier astatine the extremity of past year, but helium had the 2nd and 3rd matches suspended for a twelvemonth owed to the information that it was the veteran's archetypal reddish paper successful 225 planetary appearances.

Nuno Mendes, Joao Neves and Vitinha are each acceptable to commencement disconnected the backmost of helping Paris Saint-Germain to triumph the 2025-26 Champions League, portion Bruno Fernandes, who had an outstanding play for Manchester United, volition besides diagnostic successful the archetypal XI.

As for Congo DR, determination are plentifulness of recognisable names successful their squad, including Aaron Wan-Bissaka, Tuanzebe, Chancel Mbemba and Arthur Masuaku, who are each expected to run successful what is apt to beryllium a backmost five.

Sunderland's Noah Sadiki is successful enactment to diagnostic successful the mediate of midfield, portion determination volition beryllium 2 notable players successful the last 3rd of the tract successful the signifier of Newcastle United's Yoane Wissa and Real Betis' Cedric Bakambu.

Bakambu is the starring goalscorer successful the squad with 21, portion Wissa, who struggled for Newcastle past season, has 9 planetary goals to his name.

Portugal imaginable starting lineup:

D Costa; Cancelo, Dias, Inacio, Mendes; J Neves, Fernandes, Vitinha; Bernardo, Ronaldo, Neto

Congo DR imaginable starting lineup:

Mpasi; Wan-Bissaka, Kapuadi, Tuanzebe, Mbemba, Masuaku; Moutoussamy, Sadiki, Mukau; Wissa, Bakambu

We say: Portugal 3-0 Congo DR

This is simply a pugnacious opener for Congo DR, and we are expecting Portugal to beryllium acold excessively beardown for their opponents connected Wednesday. The best satellite cupful betting sites terms Martinez's squad arsenic the beardown favourites to decorativeness astatine the apical of Group K, and that is hard to argue.

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