Tue, 30 Nov, -0001
Belo Horizonte: Substitute Dries Mertens struck with ten minutes remaining to give Belgium a 2-1 come-from-behind win over Algeria as Korea Republic's Group H opponents kicked off their 2014 FIFA World Cup campaigns at the Estadio Mineirao.
Algeria started the brighter of the two sides and took the lead after 25 minutes through Valencia winger Sofiane Feghouli's composed penalty, awarded after the former France youth international had been pulled back in the Belgian box by Jan Vertonghen.
The goal, which came 11 minutes shy of Bolivia's record of going 506 consecutive minutes of World Cup finals football without scoring, separated the two sides until the 70th minute when Manchester United midfielder Marouane Felleini, who came on for Moussa Dembele five minutes earlier, equalised with a superb header from Kevin de Bruyne's cross.
And ten minutes later the Group H favourites completed the comeback win when Napoli forward Mertens, a second-half replacement for one-time Morocco international Nacer Chadli, fired home the winner after being set up by Eden Hazard.
Algeria are next up for Korea Republic when the two meet in Porto Alegre on June 22 before the Taeguek Warriors round off their group stage campaign against Belgium in Sao Paulo four days later.
Photo: AFP