Before the Portugal vs DR Congo Group K game the talk was all about Cristiano Ronaldo, and after the game that only intensified after Portugal’s star studded team failed to beat DR Congo. Once Portugal took the lead one only imagined the question would be by how much, but the African teams have been super competitive here at this World Cup, and like Cape Verde vs Spain, the big European nation wasn’t able to beat the African minnows. DR Congo’s first match at a World Cup in over 50 years was a good one, and one that might make Group K trickier than it looked on paper.
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BEST OF STATS
- DR Congo had more shots and shots on target than Portugal.
- Portugal had twice as many passes and more than DR Congo.
REST OF STATS
This Portugal vs DR Congo Group K clash is Ronaldo. It will all be about Ronaldo. It shouldn’t be as Portugal have one of the better squads at this World Cup, and are well capable of winning, but only Ronaldo stands in their way. That’s probably a bit unfair. DR Congo are back in the World Cup for the first time since 1974, it’s been so long that the last time they played in one the country had a different name. 1974 was a big year for the country known as Zaire, as it involved World Cup qualification and the Rumble in the Jungle featuring Ali v Foreman.
Portugal vs DR Congo Preview
STATS SUMMARY
RATINGS
The Gurgler’s in-house Ratings system based on H2H stats, World Cup stats, recent records, qualifying and past World Cup performance is here to make choosing the winner easier, or have something to blame.
| Portugal | 67.3% | DR Congo | 32.7% |
BARELY INTERESTING STATS
Obviously DR Congo didn’t make the 12 rounds of the World Cup in 1974 (reference to boxing above), but they were knocked out, losing all three games to nil and conceding 14 goals.
Portugal’s record for the opening game of the World Cup is W4 D2 L2.
Portugal’s record at the World Cup v African nations is W4 D1 L2, the two losses are the first and most recent games for Portugal v African teams, and both were against Morocco.
DR Congo have never beaten a European nation – D3 L2.
DR Congo qualified second in their qualifying groups, scoring 15 goals in 10 games. Their second place meant play off, but DR Congo managed to beat World Cup regulars Cameroon and Nigeria to qualify through the playoffs.
Portugal topped their group scoring 20 goals in six games.
MATCH PREDICTION
PORTUGAL 3 DR CONGO 0
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