27 Jun 2014

Algeria into last 16 at World Cup

12:10 pm on 27 June 2014

Algeria have qualified for the last 16 of the football World Cup for the first time after grabbing a 1-1 draw with Russia in their final group H match in Curitiba.

On a momentous night for the North Africans, who were the last team through to the knockout rounds with Belgium already qualified as group H leaders, Algeria recovered from a goal down with Islam Slimani heading home the equaliser in the 60th minute.

With Belgium finishing on nine points, Algeria, who face Germany for a place in the quarter-finals, ended with four to Russia's two and South Korea's one.

Meanwhile Jan Vertonghen's late goal resulted in 10-man Belgium beating South Korea 1-0 and setting up a last-16 clash with the USA.

The European side had already qualified for the next round, having beaten Algeria and Russia in their first two games, and even a draw would have been enough to claim first place and avoid Germany in the next round.

The Belgians are considered "dark horses" by many pundits to go all the way in Brazil after their star-studded squad went through World Cup qualifying unbeaten.