FIFA World Cup news: Cristiano Ronaldo and Portugal held by DR Congo in tournament opener

Cristiano Ronaldo endured a frustrating start to the FIFA World Cup as Portugal were held to a 1-1 draw by DR Congo in their opening group-stage match on Wednesday.

Roberto Martinez's side appeared on course for victory after making a strong start to the contest, but DR Congo responded well and earned a deserved share of the spoils to hand Portugal an early setback in their World Cup campaign.

The result also continued a relatively quiet start to the tournament for Ronaldo, particularly when compared to fellow football icons Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappe, who have already delivered headline-grabbing performances for Argentina and France respectively.

Portugal fail to build on positive start

Portugal began brightly and looked capable of taking control of the match after opening the scoring.

However, Martinez's side struggled to maintain the same level of attacking fluency as the game progressed.

DR Congo gradually grew into the contest and were rewarded for their persistence with an equaliser that shifted momentum away from the European side.

Portugal continued to push for a winner during the closing stages, but were unable to find the breakthrough required to secure all three points.

Ronaldo unable to make decisive impact

Much of the pre-match attention centred on Ronaldo and his latest World Cup campaign.

While the veteran forward remained heavily involved throughout the match, he was unable to produce the decisive contribution Portugal required.

The draw leaves Portugal with work to do in the remainder of the group stage and increases the importance of their upcoming fixtures.

For Ronaldo, it was another reminder that expectations remain high whenever he takes the field on football's biggest stage.

Martinez sees room for improvement

Portugal head coach Roberto Martinez acknowledged that his side lost control after their encouraging opening spell.

"We started the match very well," Martinez told FIFA.

"Scoring should have been a great moment, but it wasn't."

The Portugal boss felt his team lost some of the attacking qualities that had initially caused problems for DR Congo.

"I think we lost a bit of our attacking depth, lost fluency in possession, and allowed them to regain their shape somewhat."

Martinez also praised the response of the African side after falling behind.

"The confidence they gained after the goal made the game very difficult, but that's what happens at World Cups."

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Portugal remain positive

Despite the disappointment of dropping points, Martinez was encouraged by the attitude shown by his players.

"I'm very satisfied with the team's attitude," he said.

"It wasn't a problem of lacking commitment or heart; we kept trying until the very end."

The Portugal coach believes the experience can ultimately benefit his side as the tournament progresses.

"We can grow a lot from this match."

Pressure building ahead of next fixture

While one draw does not define a World Cup campaign, Portugal know they will need an improved performance in their next outing.

The result leaves the group finely balanced and places added focus on Ronaldo and Portugal's attacking unit moving forward.

With Messi and Mbappe already making headlines elsewhere in the tournament, Portugal will hope their talisman can soon find the form that has defined so many major international moments throughout his career.

For now, however, Martinez's side must settle for a disappointing opening-match draw.

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