GROUP C
▲Algeria
▲Slovenia
PHOTO: EPA
Captain Robert Koren snatched the soft late goal that gave Slovenia a 1-0 victory over 10-man Algeria yesterday and top place in Group C of the World Cup.
Goalkeeper Faouzi Chaouchi should have saved a curling shot from outside the penalty area on 79 minutes, but let it slip into the corner of the net soon after striker Abdelkader Ghezzal was sent off.
A free-kick in front of goal and outside the penalty area offered the North Africans their first chance and goalkeeper Samir Handanovic did well to tip over a Nadir Belhadj shot.
The early exchanges had a heavy imprint of caution with ball retention the first priority.
Aleksander Radosavljevic was first to be cautioned after fouling Belhadj on 35 minutes and Slovenia had a scare soon after as a Rafik Halliche header from a corner went wide.
Chaouchi came to the rescue as half-time approached, acrobatically tipping over a dipping Valter Birsa shot as Slovenia moved up a couple of gears.
Hassan Yebda was at the heart of an impressive early second-half Algerian move that ended with a shot straight at the Slovenian goalkeeper.
With no sign of a goal, striker Ghezzal replaced Rafik Djebbour but the Algerian substitute did the “Desert Foxes” no favors by getting sent off 17 minutes from full-time for a second yellow card after deliberately handling a cross.
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