Wednesday, June 18, 2014
HIGHLIGHTS
BRAZIL 0, MEXICO 0
Goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa made a series of outstanding saves to help Mexico hold Brazil to a scoreless draw in the teams’ second group-stage match in Fortaleza, Brazil, on Tuesday. The result leaves both teams with four points each in Group A. Ochoa just managed to keep Neymar from scoring in the 26th minute, with the Brazilian’s header set to fly just inside the post when Ochoa dived to his right to push the ball wide. Ochoa also made three other difficult saves to keep the hosts from breaking the deadlock — a shot by Paulinho, a second-half effort by Neymar and a close-range header by Thiago Silva in the 86th minute which produced a remarkable block by the Mexico keeper.
BELGIUM 2, ALGERIA 1
Belgium opened its World Cup Group H campaign with a comeback victory over Algeria in Belo Horizonte, Brazil, on Tuesday, relying on second-half goals from two substitutes. Marouane Fellaini’s strong glancing header in the 70th minute with his back to goal came from a Kevin De Bruyne cross. Fellaini had only come in five minutes earlier and was Coach Marc Wilmots’ final substitution. Ten minutes later, Dries Mertens’ shot beat Algeria’s goalkeeper from close range after Eden Hazard set him up for the decider. Mertens came on at the start of the second half. Algeria attacking midfielder Sofiane Feghouli converted a penalty kick to give his country a surprise lead.
RUSSIA 1, SOUTH KOREA 1
Alexander Kerzhakov scored with one of his first touches after coming on as a substitute to earn Russia a draw with South Korea in Cuiaba, Brazil, on Tuesday, a match marked by the first big goalkeeping error of the tournament. Russia goalkeeper Igor Akinfeev spilled Lee Keun-ho’s speculative shot into his own net to gift South Korea a 68th-minute lead at the Arena Pantanal in Cuiaba in Group H.
Today’s games
All times Central
Australia vs. Netherlands, 10:30 a.m., ESPN
Spain vs. Chile, 1:30 p.m., ESPN
Cameroon vs. Croatia, 4:30 p.m., ESPN
TUESDAY’S RESULTS
Brazil 0, Mexico 0, tie
Belgium 2, Algeria 1
Russia 1, South Korea 1, tie