Wissa scores DR Congo’s first World Cup goal in draw with Portugal
Yoane Wissa’s second-half header earned DR Congo a 1-1 draw against Portugal in Houston and marked a national World Cup first.
By James Whitfield · Staff Writer
3 min read
Yoane Wissa scored the Democratic Republic of the Congo’s first goal at a men’s World Cup on Wednesday, giving his country a 1-1 draw with Portugal in Houston, Al Jazeera reported. The goal came in DR Congo’s first match back at the tournament after a 52-year absence.
Al Jazeera reported that Wissa, a 29-year-old forward for Newcastle United, headed in from a corner five minutes after halftime. The goal cancelled out Joao Neves’s sixth-minute opener for Portugal in the Group K match.
Portugal entered the game as one of the tournament favourites, according to Al Jazeera. Portuguese supporters filled Houston Stadium with red after Neves’s early goal, while Wissa’s equaliser drew celebrations from Congolese fans in the ground and from supporters sharing the moment online.
Wissa’s role in the match added another chapter to a career marked by a violent attack in 2021. Al Jazeera reported that on July 1 of that year, while Wissa was playing for FC Lorient in France, a woman came to his home, attempted to kidnap his daughter and threw acid in his face.
The attack left Wissa with severe chemical burns and required emergency eye surgery, according to Al Jazeera. The same woman attacked another woman with acid the next day and was identified on July 3, Al Jazeera reported.
According to Al Jazeera, the assailant was sentenced in January 2025 to 18 years in prison after having faced the possibility of a life sentence. Wissa needed six months to recover from the assault.
Christophe Pelissier, Wissa’s manager at Lorient, told the BBC last year that he visited the player in hospital the day after the attack and saw his determination to continue. “Even though he was physically and mentally affected, Yoane quickly showed his determination to succeed,” Pelissier told the BBC.
Pierre-Yves Hamel, who played with Wissa at Lorient, also told the BBC that Wissa did not complain after the attack and wanted to keep going. Hamel said Wissa’s later progress was “a just reward for his efforts,” according to the BBC.
Wissa later described the attack and its aftermath in court during the trial of his assailant, identified by Al Jazeera as 36-year-old Laetitia P. ESPN UK reported that Wissa said hospital staff told him his eyes had been burned and that they had to be rinsed every hour.
According to ESPN UK, Wissa said he had surgery on both eyes, needed six months to fully recover his sight and was told he would need eye drops for the rest of his life. He also said quick medical treatment prevented worse consequences.
ESPN UK reported that Wissa told the court the assault changed his daily life. He said he became more withdrawn, looks behind him while walking and struggles to sleep alone at night.
Wissa joined Brentford on a four-year contract about a month after the attack while still recovering, according to Al Jazeera. He is now with Newcastle United and, after Wednesday’s header, stands as the scorer of DR Congo’s first World Cup goal.
The match also carried an emotional note for Portugal. Al Jazeera reported that the team honoured late teammate Diogo Jota before kickoff, with his parents present, images shown on the stadium screens and players wearing wristbands bearing his name.
This story draws on original reporting from Al Jazeera.