Rafael Leao Reflects on Portugal’s Draw with DR Congo at World Cup

Rafael Leao, 27, expressed his views following Portugal’s 1-1 draw against the Democratic Republic of Congo in their opening match of Group K at the World Cup. The AC Milan winger acknowledged that while his team started strong, they lost control of the game as it progressed.

Portugal will continue their World Cup journey against Uzbekistan on June 23 at 20:00. The other match in Group K, featuring Uzbekistan and Colombia, is scheduled for June 18 at 05:00.

Leao: “We Earned a Very Important Point”

The Portuguese international noted that his team dominated the early minutes and quickly took the lead, but subsequently ceded initiative to their opponents.

Contrary to his teammates, Leao stressed that Portugal’s single point was “extremely important,” despite entering the match as favorites.

“In the first 20 minutes, we controlled the game and scored quickly. Perhaps in our attempt to get a second goal, we lost control, and DR Congo became more dangerous,” Leao remarked.

The 27-year-old dismissed the notion that Portugal underestimated their opponent.
“Representing Portugal means respecting every adversary. The match was determined by moments on the field. We fought until the end but were unlucky.”

Leao described the goal conceded in stoppage time of the first half as a result of a “collective error,” emphasizing the need for the team to learn quickly from this mistake.
“We will analyze what happened and work on this aspect. We cannot afford to repeat this error, as it cost us the win.”

Despite the setback, Leao remains optimistic about the upcoming matches in the group.
“We must keep our heads up. We have earned a very important point. In the next match, we want to control the game for a longer period, showcase our players, and secure three points. We still have two matches where we can make a difference and qualify further.”