Texas, June 17 -- DR Congo head coach Sebastien Desabre said that his team has to handle the pressure of its FIFA World Cup 2026 opener against Portugal, stressing that they will play with courage and controlled risk in the high-profile clash.

Speaking ahead of the match, Desabre said the biggest challenge for his players would be managing the pressure of the opening fixture, but insisted there would be no fear when they take the field.

"What we have to do is to deal with the pressure, the pressure of the first game," he said, as quoted by Reuters.

He added that DR Congo would not hesitate to take calculated risks in their approach while maintaining tactical discipline.

"I want my team to play, so we'll take risks. Those risks will be...