|
| Team USA's Clint Dempsey shoots the ball against Portugal during the FIFA World Cup on June 22. MCT PHOTO |
Group G: USA 2, Portugal 2
MANAUS, Brazil — Cristiano Ronaldo set up Varela for a late equalizer on a hot and humid night in the jungle tonight to give Portugal a 2-2 draw with the United States and hope for a spot in the second round of the World Cup.
Ronaldo, who has been playing despite a left knee injury, sent in a cross in the fifth minute of stoppage time and Varela scored with a diving header in the last seconds of the match.
Nani had scored first for Portugal, shooting past a sprawling Tim Howard in the fifth minute, but the Americans responded in the second half as Portugal seemed to wilt in the stifling heat.
Jermaine Jones made it 1-1 with a curling shot in the 64th minute after a cross from Graham Zusi made its way through the Portugal defense.
Clint Dempsey, playing with a broken nose, then put the Americans ahead in the 81st. The United States captain used his stomach to direct the ball into the net from a cross by Zusi.
The last-second draw denied the Americans a spot in the second round, but it kept Portugal alive in the tournament.
"Obviously we're disappointed, but at the end of the day you've got to look at the positives, we got a point," Dempsey said. "It's going down to the last game and hopefully we get the job done."
The United States now has four points in Group G, the same as Germany. Both Portugal and Ghana have one point. The Americans will face Germany on Thursday in Recife, while Portugal takes on Ghana at the same time in Brasilia.
"Now we have to go out and beat Germany, that's what we have to do," U.S. coach Jurgen Klinsmann said. "We have to play Germany, we have one less day to recover, we played in the Amazon, they played on a place with less travel. We have to do it the tough way."
It was all Portugal for much of the first half, with Ronaldo in the starting lineup but getting less involved as the match progressed. The Americans, however, started to get more and more chances and even had a shot from Michael Bradley cleared off the line by Ricardo Costa in the 55th.
The heat in the Amazon rainforest, however, seemed to slow the Portuguese as the match wore on.
In the 39th minute, referee Nestor Pitana on Argentina called for a cooling break, the first such decision to be taken at the World Cup.
The breaks are supposed to occur in the 30th and 75th minutes.
Dempsey's goal was his fourth at a World Cup and second at this year's tournament. Jones scored his third goal for the United States national team and first in almost two years.
Group H: Algeria 4, South Korea 2
PORTO ALEGRE, Brazil — Islam Slimani scored one goal and made two more as Algeria swept to a 4-2 victory over South Korea today to become the first African team to score four goals in a World Cup match.
The result gives Algeria a first World Cup win since 1982 and moves it into second place in Group H with one match left to play, against Russia.
Slimani opened the scoring with a fine solo goal after 26 minutes as his team raced into a 3-0 lead at halftime. However, it then had to withstand a South Korean fight back after the break to secure the points.
"The first period was almost perfect," Algerian coach Vahid Halilhodzic said. "I'd like to dedicate this victory to the fans and the Algerian people who have been waiting for this for many, many years."
Defeat for South Korea means it must now beat already-qualified Belgium and hope that other results go its way to progress to the knockout stages.
Belgium leads with six points, Algeria now has three, while Russia and the South Koreans have one apiece.
South Korea didn't manage a single shot on goal in the first half, but improved markedly after the break. It pulled a goal back in the 48th minute when Son Heung-min shot through the legs of Rais Mbolhi after the ball landed nicely off the midfielder's back in the six-yard box.
Hopes of a remarkable comeback were soon extinguished, though, when swift passing by Slimani put Yacini Brahimi through on a counter attack to make it 4-1.
South Korea captain Koo Ja-cheol bundled the ball home on 72 minutes from close range, but aside from a few scares, Algeria's defense held on to secure a historic victory.
"Our defense wasn't as good as it should have been," South Korea coach Hong Myung-bo said. "We will now do our best to the very end of the competition. That's the only option we have left."
Group H: Belgium 1, Russia, 0
RIO DE JANEIRO — Twice now, Belgium has relied on a late revival boosted by stamina and its bench to turn desperate situations around at the World Cup. Today, it was teenager Divock Origi who turned a listless Belgian performance into a late 1-0 win over Russia, enough to qualify for the next round.
Belgium barely contained a reinvigorated Russia for most of the match, yet struck with a blistering late spurt of class and opportunism to turn a bad situation into a wild, fist-pumping celebration for coach Marc Wilmots and his team in the 88th minute.
"Why were we good in last 10 minutes? Simple, the others were tired," said Wilmots. "The Russians were so tired they looked at their feet, and it offered us chances to counter."
With Belgian King Philippe looking on, substitute Kevin Mirallas hit a freekick against the post in 84th minute, setting off the amazing turnaround. At first it appeared as if late flashes from Eden Hazard would only camouflage a dismal performance.
But then the playmaker made a move into the area on the left and spotted Origi free in the center. A pinpoint pass from Hazard and cool right-foot finishing from the 19-year-old Origi gave Belgium the victory.
"Nobody could have thought this possible," said Origi, who was only called into the squad because No. 1 striker Christian Benteke injured his Achilles in April. Most of Belgium barely knew of the talented young player developing quickly for Lille in the French league.
Belgium moved to six points with the win, five ahead of Russia and South Korea.
"Now we will build a party, but then it is back to work as of tomorrow," Wilmots said.
Read More
Muncie Children's Museum Encourages Learning With Their New Train and Water Exhibit
By Jacob Boissy / 4 hours agoFollowing the opening of the train and water exhibit, we visited Muncie Children's Museum to learn more about the exhibits and importance of children learning through play.
Muncie Central High School opens student writing center
By Katherine Hill / 6 hours agoNew writing center at Muncie Central High School helps students cultivate writing abilities.
Men’s Baseball vs. University Akron
By Dakota Atwood / 19 hours agoBall State Men’s Baseball faces off against the University Of Akron as the Cards look to sweep the series against the Zips.
