Algeria beat South Korea to keep alive hopes of World Cup progress

Matthias Bossaller, dpa

Facing elimination from the 2014 World Cup, Algeria defeated South Korea 4-2 on Sunday in Group H to remain in contention for the knock-out stages for the first time in their history.

Algeria jumped to second place in the group with three points - two more than both South Korea and Russia.

The victory at Estadio Beira-Rio in Porto Alegre was Algeria's first in the World Cup since they knocked off Chile and West Germany at the 1982 World Cup.

Algeria tallied three times within 12 minutes in the first half with Islam Slimani opening the scoring in the 26th minute, Rafik Halliche adding a second goal in the 28th and Abdelmoumen Djabou hitting a third after 38 minutes.

South Korea pulled back a goal in the 50th minute through Son Heung Min before Yacine Brahimi restored the three-goal lead after 62 minutes.

The Asians would not go down without a fight with Koo Ja Cheol trimming it to 4-2 with 18 minutes to play.

The North Africans bounced back superbly from giving up a 1-0 lead in the final 20 minutes of the 2-1 loss in their opener against Belgium.

Coach Vahid Halilhodzic's Algerians dominated from the start and have put the nation on the brink of the knock-out stages for the first time.

Algeria were close in 1982, actually having won two games in the group stage - also beating West Germany 2-1. But the Germans and Austrians notoriously agreed ahead of their final match to a 1-0 West Germany win which sent both Europeans through to the next round.

Sofiane Feghouli's goal on Tuesday against Belgium was Algeria's first goal at a World Cup since 1986, when Djamel Zidane scored against Northern Ireland in a 1-1 draw.

After the loss to Belgium, Halilhodzic made five changes to his starting line-up. And the Desert Foxes went after the South Koreans from the very start with three big chances in the first nine minutes.

Algeria finally grabbed their goal on a counter attack in the 26th minute with a long ball from Carl Medjani to Slimani, who fought his way through two Korean defenders before poking his left foot shot past South Korean keeper Jung Sung Ryong.

Algeria did not wait long to double the advantage, making it 2-0 two minutes later on a set piece with Halliche hammering home a header off a corner with Jung being much too passive coming off his line.

And the African onslaught continued with another score on the 38-minute mark with the South Korea's clearance attempt going right to Slimani, who passed over to Djabou for an easy left footer past Jung.  

South Korea trimmed the deficit to 3-1 just five minutes after the re-start with Son collecting a long ball, turning and striking a fine blast past keeper Rais M'Bohli.

Algeria restored the three-goal advantage 4-1 in the 62nd minute with Brahimi and Slimani playing a superb give-and-go with Brahimi finishing.

South Korea added another goal 10 minutes later as Lee Keun Ho crossed to Koo, who tapped in from short distance. But the first half deficit was too much to come back from.