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Algeria is leading Belgium 1-0 at halftime of their Group H match in soccer's World Cup in Brazil after a 24th-minute penalty kick.
Belgium defender Jan Vertonghen brought down midfielder Sofiane Feghouli in Belo Horizonte and was given a yellow card. Feghouli scored past goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois, who dove the wrong way.
Today, after Belgium and Algeria finish, record five-time champion Brazil takes on Mexico in Fortaleza in Group A. Russia faces Korea in Cuiaba in Group H in the final match of the first round. The top two teams in each group move on to the round of 16, with the winner of one group playing the runnerup of another.
Yesterday, Germany routed Portugal 4-0 as Thomas Mueller, who had the most goals in the 2010 event in South Africa, scored three times in the Group G game. The U.S. defeated Ghana 2-1 in their Group G match with goals in the first minute and almost the last. Nigeria and Iran were booed after a 0-0 tie in Group F.
In the U.S. victory, Clint Dempsey scored the fifth fastest goal in tournament history to put the Americans in front. Ghana's Andre Ayew scored in the 82nd minute, then four minutes later, John Brooks headed home his first goal for the national team off a corner kick.
Exact Start
'This was exactly the start we wanted, we had to work hard for it, and it's a great feeling to get the first three points,' U.S. coach Juergen Klinsmann told reporters. 'I was still convinced that we would win this game even after Ghana's equalizer.'
In the second half, the U.S. defenders started playing closer to their own goal and Ghana's attackers took advantage. Eventually, the pressure paid off with Ayew's goal.
'It was a very tough game, and when you play at this high level any little mistake can cost you dearly,' Ghana's coach, James Kwesi Appiah, told reporters. 'We had a lot of the ball and created a lot of chances, but we didn't make the most of our chances.'
In Germany's match, Portugal was reduced to 10 men late in the first half when Pepe was sent off for headbutting Mueller.
'Winning was our only option and the team went out there with that in mind,' German coach Joachim Loew said. 'Thomas did really well in attack and created a lot of space for us.'
In a Group F match yesterday, fans booed at the end of a goalless meeting in Curitiba between Iran and Nigeria, the first draw in the tournament. Nigeria is winless in nine World Cup matches since a 1-0 victory against Bulgaria in 1998. The result leaves Argentina atop the pool following a 2-1 win against Bosnia and Herzegovina two days ago.
Mueller scored with a 12th-minute penalty kick and added a second goal just before halftime in Salvador as the Portuguese defense failed to deal with a pass. In the second half, he knocked in a ball that goalkeeper Rui Patricio couldn't reach. Mats Hummels added Germany's other goal in the 32nd minute with a header.
To contact the reporter on this story: Christopher Elser in Rio de Janeiro at celser@bloomberg.net
To contact the editors responsible for this story: Rob Gloster at rgloster@bloomberg.net; Christopher Elser at celser@bloomberg.net Michael Sillup, Christopher Elser