Joao Neves Disappointed by Portugal's Draw with Congo, Vows to Improve for 2026 World Cup

Portugal midfielder Joao Neves expressed disappointment following his team's 1-1 draw against the Democratic Republic of Congo in their opening 2026 World Cup qualifier. The match, held at Houston Stadium, saw Portugal fail to secure a victory in their first Group K fixture.

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We will improve, we will look at the game and analyze it in more detail.

Neves, who plays for Paris Saint-Germain, opened the scoring in the sixth minute with his first World Cup goal. However, Portugal's lead was short-lived as Yoane Wissa equalized for Congo in first-half stoppage time. Despite the personal achievement of scoring, Neves lamented the missed opportunity to claim three points.

"I'm a little sad about the result itself, but I think we did a good job. There are things to improve as always," Neves stated. He acknowledged the team's performance had aspects that needed refinement, emphasizing the need to analyze the game in more detail. The young midfielder vowed that the team would improve their play in the upcoming matches.

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I'm a little sad about the result itself, but I think we did a good job. There are things to improve as always.

Portugal's next challenge in Group K is against Uzbekistan next Wednesday. Neves and his teammates are determined to bounce back and secure a better outcome in their remaining group stage games.

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A little disappointed with the result.