FORTALEZA — Mexico goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa was the hero of the day after denying the Brazil attack time and again in their 0-0 Group A, 2014 Fifa World Cup match at the Estadio Castelao in Fortaleza yesterday.
Reuters
It was a slow start to the game with neither side creating many chances in front of goal early on.
Brazil saw most of the ball possession, but were frustrated by the Mexican defence that stood firm in the face of continuous pressure from the home side. Still, despite seeing very little of the ball, Mexico had the first real shot on goal in the 24th minute when Hector Herrera let fly with a ferocious 20-metre effort, but his attempt was superbly tipped over the crossbar by Julio Cesar.
Two minutes later Neymar was only denied the opening goal by the brilliance of Guillermo Ochoa who produced one of the saves of the tournament.
Dani Alves whipped in a teasing cross from the right which Neymar met with a strong 11-metre header, the ball sailing into the bottom corner, but it was clawed out by the Mexican keeper at full stretch.
The next effort on goal only came in the 38th minute when Marcelo tried his lick from 11-metre out, but the Brazilians’ shot sailed inches wide of the post. Three minutes later Jose Vazquez went close for Mexico when his shot form the edge of the box skimmed the wrong side of the post.
Brazil had the last say of the half a minute before the break when a right sided free-kick was chested into the path of Paulinho by Thiago Silva, but the former was magnificently denied from close range by the eventual man of the match Ochoa. The half ended 0-0.
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The start of the second half saw Mexico peppering the Brazil goal with long range shots and Vazquez almost opened the scoring in the 55th minute with a thunderous attempt, but his effort went inches over the crossbar with the Brazilian keeper well-beaten.
Two minutes later it was the turn of Herrera to let loose from 18-metre out, but his shot also sailed just over the target.
Brazil created their first opening of the second 45 in the 69th minute when Neymar brilliantly controlled a left wing cross from Bernard, bringing it down before firing goalwards from 7 metre out, but he was again denied by a fine stop from Ochoa.
Four minutes from time Ochoa came to Mexico’s rescue again when his cat-like reflexes denied Tiago Silva a point blank header after he met a right-side free-kick.
The match ended 0-0. The result sees both teams on four points in Group A with Brazil still on top with a superior goal difference.
In Belo Horizonte, much-fancied Belgium fought back from a goal down to score twice in the final 20 minutes and earn a hard-fought 2-1 victory over gutsy Algeria in their World Cup Group H opener yesterday.
Goals from 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 after a 12-year absence, enjoyed the majority of possession but struggled to break down a disciplined two-line Algerian defence which kept Eden Hazard and forward Romelu Lukaku well in check. The Algerians were far more successful the second time they ventured forward when left back Jan Vertonghen brought down Feghouli after a fine cross from Faouzi Ghoulam.
Feghouli calmly fired past keeper Thibaut Courtois to end his country’s 28-year wait for a World Cup goal and send the green-white-clad Algerian fans delirious.
Coach Marc Wilmots, the last Belgium player to score in a World Cup before yesterday, 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 backfoot.
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 substitute Mertens to fire in for the win.
