In a disappointing outing for Cristiano Ronaldo, Portugal struggled to find their rhythm against a disciplined DR Congo side. After Lionel Messi‘s impressive hat-trick against Algeria, fans had high hopes for Ronaldo to match his Argentine counterpart’s performance. However, the match did not unfold as anticipated.
Throughout the contest, Ronaldo found himself effectively neutralized, managing only three attempts on goal, all of which were off target. Despite winning two out of three aerial duels, he could not influence the scoreboard, finishing the match with a lackluster performance.
Statistically, Ronaldo’s game was marked by minimal impact. He recorded just five touches in the opposition box and completed one pass into the penalty area. His expected goals (xG) stood at 0.46, with no expected goals on target. Additionally, his accurate passing rate was 90%, successfully completing 19 out of 21 passes, but his shot accuracy was dismal, finishing at 0%. This match also marked the lowest tally of touches for Ronaldo in a major tournament match in which he played the full 90 minutes.
Looking ahead, Portugal’s next World Cup match is set for June 24 against Colombia.