Group H: South Korea 0, Belgium 1
SAO PAULO (AP) — Reduced to 10 men for over half the match, Belgium still beat South Korea 1-0 to finish atop of Group H and eliminate the last Asian team from the World Cup.
With a late goal yet again, Belgium made the difference in the 78th minute when defender Jan Vertonghen followed up a shot from teenage striker Divock Origi and tapped in the rebound past goalkeeper Kim Seung-gyu.
"We knew all games were going to be tough," Belgium coach Marc Wilmots said. "But even with 10 men, we still pushed forward. These guys are really hungry."
After three narrow victories and precious little beautiful play, Belgium will now play the United States in Salvador on Tuesday.
"Mission accomplished," said Wimots.
Group H: Algeria 1, Russia 1
CURITIBA, Brazil — For the Algeria squad, this has been a tournament of breaking new ground.
First, Algeria won its first World Cup match since 1982 — a 4-2 victory over South Korea, and then on Thursday it qualified for the knockout stages for the first time.
Islam Slimani's 60th -minute headed equalizer was enough to gain his team a 1-1 draw against Russia and the one competition point it needed to place second in Group H behind Belgium.
Now, Algeria has another 32-year anniversary on its radar.
On Monday, the Algerians will meet Germany in the Round of 16 in Porto Alegre.
The teams haven't met since 1982 when Algeria beat West Germany, one of the tournament favorites, with Lakhdar Belloumi memorably stroking home the winner. Though it went on to win another game in that tournament, Algeria failed to qualify for the second round of the World Cup after West Germany and Austria played out a result that suited both of those teams.
Qualification prompted mass celebrations in the packed Algerian section in Arena da Baixada in Curitiba, and on the pitch among the players. Even the combative coach, Vahid Halilhodzic, was hugging staff and players and shaking his head in apparent disbelief.
"I'm very proud of what we achieved tonight," Halilhodzic said. "I think Algeria played a heroic match and our qualification is perfectly deserved."
Group G: Germany 1, USA 0
RECIFE, Brazil — Joachim Loew and Jurgen Klinsmann shook hands, smiled and patted each on the shoulders, like the two good friends they are. The two coaches had every reason to be pleased: both of their teams advanced to the knockout stage of the World Cup.
Loew's Germany beat Klinsmann's United States 1-0 thanks to Thomas Müller's fourth goal of the tournament and the outcome allowed both teams to advance. Portugal beat Ghana 2-1 in the other Group G match but both were eliminated.
A draw would have been enough as well, and it had been the matter of much conjecture before Thursday's match at the rain drenched Arena Pernambuco. But neither team held back and both attacked, although Germany was clearly in control.
Germany, a three-time champion, now travels to Porto Alegre to play the runner-up in Group H on June 30. The Americans play the winner of that group on July 1 in Salvador.
"It's a good feeling because now it's really just a clear picture for everyone. Just focus on that one opponent you have for that next game. ... We'll just talk about one team to beat at a time and this is why I'm really excited" about this next phase, Klinsmann said.
Group G: Portugal 2, Ghana 1
BRASILIA, Brazil — Cristiano Ronaldo finally made his mark at the World Cup — but it came too late to spare Portugal an early exit from Brazil.
The world player of the year broke his scoring drought at the tournament with an 80th-minute winner in Portugal's 2-1 victory over Ghana.
That result, however, left the Portuguese level on four points with United States in Group G but with an inferior goal difference to the second-place Americans, who lost 1-0 to Germany in Recife. Ghana also was eliminated, finishing bottom of the group.
"We knew we had to score three goals and were depending on the result of the Germany game, and we couldn't do that," Ronaldo said after his most lively performance of the tournament.
"We deserved more, but that's football. We are leaving with our heads held high."
A 2-1 victory would have put Ghanaians through but Majeed Waris' headed chance that he planted wide of the post in the 60th was the only genuine opening they created before Ronaldo's sucker-punch.
The result brought to an end a typically eventful few weeks in Brazil for the Ghanaians, who were part of thrilling games against the United States and Germany before their campaign ended in turmoil on and off the pitch.
Their players took to the field in the Brazilian capital amid a dispute with the country's football federation over alleged unpaid World Cup bonuses. Adding to the chaos, two of the team's star players — Sulley Muntari and Kevin-Prince Boateng — were booted out of the squad hours before Thursday's kickoff for disciplinary reasons.
"I don't think it had an impact on the game," said Ghana coach Kwesi Appiah, who confirmed that his players received their appearance-fee payments before kickoff as requested.
It was perhaps no surprise that Ghana delivered its most subdued display of the tournament, ensuring Ronaldo was given plenty of time and space to wreak havoc.
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