Portugal sounds the alarm after a mistake against DR Congo: 'We have failed'
Portugal's coach Roberto Martínez expresses his disappointment over the draw against DR Congo at the World Cup, emphasizing the need for improvement and pressure to perform better in the coming matches.
Portugal coach Roberto Martínez is disappointed with the loss of points against DR Congo at the 2026 World Cup. He tried to put the draw into perspective, while João Cancelo described the result as a defeat.
Martínez indicated that Portugal started the match well and deservedly took the lead, but that the situation changed after the goal. "We started the game very well. I think the goal meant that we made fewer runs in the penalty area. We mainly focused on ball possession and had less depth. That allowed DR Congo to regroup and get back into the game," said the coach.
Just before half time, DR Congo scored with a header, a specialty of the team. "Now we have to evaluate and analyze. It is better to play such a match in the group stage and learn from it. We got a point, but if we want to go far in this World Cup, we have to look at this match," he added.
Martínez also emphasized that there is no pressure to win the World Cup, but that it is more important to play well and collect points in the group stage. "The place in the world rankings does not give you an advantage. DR Congo played a spectacular match; for them it was a kind of final."
Attention was also paid to the absence of João Félix in the starting line-up. "Anything you don't do would have been an option in hindsight. We have Bruno Fernandes and Bernardo Silva, two of the best midfielders in the world," Martínez said.
Cancelo was also disappointed. He noted that Portugal did not do enough with the dominance of the ball and that the draw felt like a disappointment. "At times we played too hastily, giving the opponent space to counter. We failed, that's clear. Now we have to correct those mistakes in the next game. We have to win it to advance. For us this feels more or less like a defeat, while for them it probably feels like a victory."
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