Portugal's Roberto Martinez 'unfazed' by surprise DR Congo draw in World Cup opener

The result was a disappointing start for one of the tournament favourites, with Portugal struggling to turn their dominance into goals despite controlling almost 70 per cent of possession.

Martinez said his players deserved credit for their effort but accepted they had to be more critical of their performance.

"We do have to improve. We have to be very self-critical," Martinez said. "Our responsibility here is to assess this match, be self-critical and that's the bottom line. The World Cup is like that. We continue our work."

Portugal started strongly and took the lead after only six minutes when Joao Neves headed home, but they failed to build on that advantage. Instead, DR Congo grew into the match and levelled before half-time through Yoane Wissa, who found space to head in a cross and create a memorable moment for his country.

Martinez admitted the early goal affected his team's approach, with Portugal becoming too focused on keeping possession rather than pushing for more goals.

"We scored in a moment where usually the emotions really help out to continue with that momentum and try to score that second goal, but it was actually the opposite effect for us," he said.

"We tried to stick to ball possession, we couldn't make it to the box and we gave an opportunity for Congo to restructure and mount counter-attacks."

The Portugal boss also praised DR Congo's performance, highlighting their confidence and determination on their return to the World Cup stage for the first time since 1974.

"They were intense, confident. They played like a big final in a big tournament and that shows incredible personality," Martinez said.

Portugal will now turn their attention to their next Group K match against Uzbekistan on Tuesday, 23 June, as Martinez looks for a response from his squad.

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