Algeria 4 - South Korea 2

Photo by Paul Gilham

Algeria and South Korea both marked this fixture in Porto Alegre as the one they felt they could most utilize to get a win in Group H. Algeria were on the front foot early, lead by talismanic attacking midfielder Sofiane Feghouli to create early chances. South Korea's goal appeared to be living a charmed life early on, and Algeria even had shouts for a penalty in the early going. Koo Ja-Cheol got into the Algerian penalty area with possession, but Algerian captain Madjid Bougherra was able to execute a smooth backheel steal from Koo. Algerian RB swung in a ball to Islam Slimani in the box, but Slimani was unable to gather the ball cleanly in stride, so his marker Hong was able to clear the danger. Route-one football proved the answer for Algeria. Carl Medjani popped a long through ball over the top, and Slimani fought off two defenders before softly chipping over the onrushing South Korea goalkeeper Jung Sung-Ryong to give the Fennec Foxes a 1-0 lead. Brahimi nearly scored a second after Algeria had stolen the ensuing kickoff, but Kim Young-Gwon did just enough to deflect the ball off frame. On the ensuing corner kick, Rafik Halliche completely dusted his marker Kim Young-Gwon and rose for the header six yards away from goal. Jung came out to punch but failed, so Halliche powered the ball into the net for a 2-0 lead. Ten minutes after their second goal, Algeria found yet another goal. Slimani slipped into the box from the left side. He drew a second defender, Kim Young-Gwon off the run of Abdelmoumene Djabou, so Slimani sent a nice ball across to Djabou, who finished with placement to make it 3-0. That would be Algeria's lead going into the break.

Five minutes after the restart South Korea announced that they planned on fighting until the end. Route-one football lad to a sparkling individual effort from Son Heung-Min. He trapped the pass with his back, then turned to beat Bougherra. Son's shot went through the goalkeeper's legs to bring his side to within 3-1. Ki Sung-Yueng hit a massive blast from thirty-seven yards as the game approached the hour mark, forcing Algeria goalkeeper Rais M'bolhi into a spectacular leap to touch the ball over his crossbar. Aissa Mandi had to make a header clearance off the goal line to help out M'bohi who ha been beaten on the play. South Korea appeared to have lulled the Algerians into a fall sense of security. Completely against the run of play, Algeria scored again. Feghouli and Yacine Brahimi executed a one-two-one-two interplay from over forty yards from goal, allowing for Brahimi simply to push the ball over the line from close range after the intricate buildup. The Fennec Foxes were now up 4-1 with less than a half hour to play. With less than twenty minutes to play, the Taegeuk Warriors were right back at it. Kim Shin-Wook won the first header in the box. Son muffed a chance at the goalmouth, but Lee Keun-Ho (pictured, red) was there to clean up the mess. He passed across to Koo who used his raised leg to knock the ball over the goal line to bring South Korea within two goals. Kim Shin-Wook won a header in the box from a corner kick and nearly sent in a third goal for the Koreans, which truly would have made for a spectacular finish to the match. Algeria hold on and win 4-2 to jump into second place in the group table.

Belgium IN 6 pts +2
Algeria 3 pts +1
Russia 1 pts -1
South Korea 1 pts -2

Goals
Algeria
Islam Slimani 26
Rafik Halliche 28
Abdelmoumene Djabou 38
Yacine Brahimi 62

South Korea
Son Heung-Min 50
Koo Ja-Cheol 72

Match Reports:

Highlights:

Belgium 1 - Russia 0

Photo by Clive Rose

The two favorites to advance from Group H, Russia and Belgium, faced off in Rio de Janeiro today. Oleg Shatov did plenty of dribbling work at the top of the Belgian box before passing across the eighteen to Victor Fayzulin. Fayzulin fired low and to the right of Belgium goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois, but the shot was well saved. Going the other way, Belgian midfielder Kevin de Bruyne made a fantastic slaloming run to beat two defenders and drag two more away from the run of Dries Mertens (pictured, red), but Mertens foolishly tried to force and extra pass in the box rather than have a go himself, allowing Russia to clear the danger. Russian left back Dmitry Kombarov (pictured, white) was having all sorts of trouble keeping tabs on Mertens running up his side of the defense, but Belgium were unable to make use of this dominance to produce a goal. With only a couple minutes left to play in the half, Aleksandr Kokorin missed a simple finish from eight yards out as ??'s perfect cross found his head between the two Belgian centerbacks. Kokorin nodded the ball wide off frame with Courtois at his mercy. The teams left the field knotted at zero goals apiece.

It took about thirty minutes for something to happen in the second half, which was quite dreadful to watch during that time. Then, the match livened up. Russian fullback Andrey Eshchenko was rewarded for his daring run upfield, but he sprayed a shot wide of the far post. Kevin Mirallas rolled a free kick to the Russian wall and actually caught Russia goalkeeper Igor Akinfeev leaning the wrong way, but his shot softly caromed off the post. Eden Hazard finally came alive in the Belgian midfield with five minutes to go in the match. He began with a shot on goal that was deflected out for a corner kick. Then, he initiated the decisive moment of the match, carving through the right side of Russia's defense before dropping the ball off to Divock Origi. Origi finished with his first touch to give Belgium the lead late. Hazard nearly had a second assist, but Mirallas could only muster a weak shot with which Akinfeev dealt easily. Belgium hang on and win 1-0 to secure a berth in the Round of Sixteen.

Belgium IN 6 pts +2
South Korea 1 pts 0
Russia 1 pts -1
Algeria 0 pts -1

Goals
Belgium
Divock Origi 88

Match Reports:

Highlights:

South Korea 1 - Russia 1

Photo by Elsa

A hot, sticky night in Cuiaba was the scene for the matchup between Russia and South Korea. The feeling-the-opponent-out portion of this match lasted much longer than usual, and it was not until a half hour had passed that the teams began to attack. A long distance shot from Russian defender Sergey Ignasevich was saved by South Korea goalkeeper Jung Sung-Ryong. Koo Ja-Cheol (pictured, white) tried his luck from distance, but Ignasevich was able to block the attempt before any harm could be done. South Korea had the upper hand for a solid ten-minute period starting at the half-hour mark, but neither team was able to produce a goal in the first period.Victor Fayzulin had a shot on goal for Russia in the

 first minute of the second period. Russian centerback Vasily Berezutski headed a ball from a cross to the back post with extreme power, but he could not direct the ball inside of the post. Ki Sung-Yeung had time to send in a bouncing, curling shot, but Russia goalkeeper Igor Akinfeev made a diving push away to safety. Denis Kombarov was next to get off a good attempt, but Jung saved his low shot off one bounce. Akinfeev had a blunder that will haunt him forever as he let a simple Lee Keun-Ho shot headed straight for his chest bounce off his gloves and into the goal to give the South Koreans the opening goal. Luckily for Akinfeev, his teammates had his back. Heaps of pressure finally broke the dam. Hwang Seok-Ho tried to clear a ball from inside his penalty box, but Andrey Eschenko blocked the clearance with his chest and the ball fell to Russian substitute forward Aleksandr Kershakov, who smacked the ball into the net for the equalizer. In stoppage time, Russia had the ball on the left flank. Alexander Kokorin only needed a finesse pass to find Kershakov, but instead he hit a screamer well beyond his reach, letting South Korea off the hook. The match ends in a 1-1 draw.

Belgium 3 pts +1
South Korea 1 pts 0
Russia 1 pts 0
Algeria 0 pts -1

Goals
South Korea
Lee Keun-Ho 68

Russia
Aleksandr Kershakov 74

Match Reports:
http://soccer.si.com/planet-futbol/2014/06/17/russia-south-korea-world-cup-commentary-recap-group-h?eref=sihp
http://www.fifa.com/worldcup/news/y=2014/m=6/news=unconvincing-russia-korea-share-points-2374563.html
http://www.zonalmarking.net/2014/06/18/world-cup-2014-group-stage-day-6/ (Daily Summary)

Highlights:
http://www.fifa.com/worldcup/videos/highlights/match=300186499/index.html

Belgium 2 - Algeria 1

Photo by Paul Gilham

Belgium played Algeria in both teams' Group H opener in Belo Horizonte. The field was very crowded in the middle of the park for the first quarter hour with neither team really looking to attack via the flanks in the early going. The first notable chance of this encounter came off a booming punt from Algeria goalkeeper Rais M'bolhi that landed within thirty yards of the Belgian goal. Riyad Mahrez gathered the ball, held off the only defender with him before crushing a shot wide of the near post. Faouzi Ghoulam sent in cross from the left flank that was allowed to bounce inside the Belgian six-yard box by Belgian centerback Vincent Kompany. The ball bounced toward the path of the run from Sofiane Feghouli, so Belgian left back Jan Vertonghen tugged on Feghouli's arm to prevent the scoring chance. Algeria were awarded a penalty kick and converted it for a shock 1-0 lead. Algeria had gone scoreless during their three games at South Africa 2010. Axel Witsel settled a bouncing ball twenty-six yards from the Algerian goal and then cracked a dipping shot on frame, but M'bolhi was able to push the ball aside off the half-volley mid-dive. Algeria held a 1-0 lead as the teams left the pitch.

There must have been inspiring words spoken in the Belgian locker room, for they came out in the second half with a renewed vigor. Still, it took them half a period to create a dangerous chance. Substitute forward Divock Origi won a loose ball with space to run. He was alone with only the keeper to beat, but M'bolhi made the kick save to preserve the lead for the Fennec Foxes. With only twenty minutes to play, Les Diables Rouges found their long-awaited breakthrough. Kevin de Bruyne picked up a loose ball. No Algerians closed his space, so he picked out a cross to ten yards from goal. Marouane Fellaini got his forehead on the ball and knocked it in off the underside of the crossbar for the equalizer. Belgium sprung the prototypical counteract to steal the match away from Algeria. de Bruyne slide-tackled Feghouli, and the ball rolled out beyond Eden Hazard (pictured, red), who dummied at the ball and then turned to lead a three-on-two fast break. He picked out the uncovered run of Dries Mertens, who then blasted the ball into the net gloriously. Fellaini nearly had his second headed goal off a whipped in cross from the right flank, but M'bolhi was able to fly up to his crossbar and tip the ball over. Algeria could no longer muster anything offensively, so Belgium escapes with a hard-fought 2-1 victory.

Goals
Belgium
Marouane Fellaini 70
Dries Mertens 80

Algeria
Sofiane Feghouli 25 PK

Match Reports:
http://soccer.si.com/planet-futbol/2014/06/17/belgium-algeria-world-cup-commentary-recap-group-h?eref=sihp
http://www.theguardian.com/football/2014/jun/17/belgium-algeria-world-cup-2014-group-h-match-report

Highlights:
http://www.fifa.com/worldcup/videos/highlights/match=300186479/index.html