Ronaldo Goes Scoreless in Portugal's 1-1 Draw — Rcn En Vivo

Cristiano Ronaldo went scoreless in Portugal’s 1-1 draw with Congo on Wednesday, leaving rcn en vivo with a result that muted the start of his sixth World Cup. He is now one of only two players to appear in six World Cups, and this match also shut down a chance to become the first to score in six tournaments.

Ronaldo And Congo In 1-1 Draw

Ronaldo had two shots go wide in the 68th and 73rd minutes, and Portugal still could not turn the match away from Congo. The forward and captain finished his 229th career game with Portugal without a goal.

That missed finish stood out because Ronaldo had entered the tournament with a history that already included Euro 2016 with Portugal and his best World Cup run in 2006, when Portugal reached the semifinals. Wednesday was his first match at a sixth World Cup, and the blank was the one part of the night he could not change.

Martínez Keeps Ronaldo On

Roberto Martínez said after the match that it made no sense to remove the world’s best goalscorer when goals were needed. He also said Ronaldo’s movement inside the box and the way he draws defenders still matter.

“No tiene sentido sacar al mejor goleador del mundo cuando necesitas goles,” Martínez said. “La experiencia de Cristiano en el área es importante. La manera en que atrae a los defensores es importante.”

The coach’s choice kept the focus on Portugal’s finishing rather than on a substitution fix. Ronaldo’s two wide attempts were the clearest chances tied to that decision, and they came as Congo held its shape well enough to force the draw.

Messi, Mbappé, Haaland Benchmark

The scoreless outing also landed against a wider tournament backdrop. Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappé and Erling Haaland had all scored in their first World Cup appearances this year, while Ronaldo entered the match as one of the only two players with six World Cup appearances.

Ngal’ayel Mukau said Congo’s plan centered on the Portugal captain. “Sabemos que Ronaldo no es el mismo que antes,” he said. “Así que sabemos que corre menos, hace menos esfuerzo. Entonces sí, dependía de nuestra defensa detenerlo, e hicieron un gran trabajo.”

After the match, Ronaldo posted: “No fue el inicio que queríamos, pero esto está lejos de terminar” and “Cabeza en alto y enfoque en el próximo partido.” Portugal left Wednesday with a point, while Ronaldo left without the milestone goal that was available to him.