Belgium beat Algeria to complete Africa’s hat trick of losses

Belgium fought back from a goal down to score twice in the final 20 minutes and earn a hard-fought 2-1 win over gutsy Algeria in their World Cup Group H opener on Tuesday.

Substitutes Marouane Fellaini and Dries Mertens turned the game around after Algeria playmaker Sofiane Feghouli had given them a 25th-minute lead with a penalty at the Mineirao Stadium.

Belgium, back at the World Cup since Korea/Japan in 2002, enjoyed the majority of possession but struggled to break down a disciplined Algerian defence that kept Eden Hazard and Romelu Lukaku in check.

Coach Marc Wilmots, the last Belgium player to score in a World Cup before this game, took off lacklustre Lukaku early in the second half, bringing on teenager Divock Origi in the hope of breathing new life into his team.

It almost paid off instantly when the 19-year-old raced clear but failed to beat keeper Rais Mbohli with Algeria firmly on the back foot.

It was Wilmots’ other substitute, Fellaini, who delivered when he rose high to meet a Kevin De Bruyne cross and drill his header off the bar and into goal on 70 minutes.

The Desert Foxes, who had hardly put a foot wrong in defence, were caught napping 10 minutes later when Hazard raced down the left wing, and cut back perfectly for Mertens to fire in for the win.

Algeria will meet South Korea in the next game on Sunday while Belgium tackle Russia earlier the same day.

Algeria’s loss means that only one African team, Cote d’Ivoire, won its opening match at the ongoing World Cup.

Like Algeria, Cameroon and Ghana lost to Mexico and USA respectively, while Nigeria played a drab goalless draw with less-fancied Iran.