Schuerrle, Ozil strike late as Germany sink Algeria

[Jonathan Fairfield]

Schuerrle, Ozil strike late as Germany sink Algeria

KIRILL KUDRYAVTSEV / AFP

Extra-time goals by substitute Andre Schuerrle and Mesut Ozil sealed Germany's 2-1 win over Algeria in Monday's last 16 clash and put the three-time winners into the World Cup quarter-finals.

The victory at Porto Alegre's Beira-Rio Stadium was Germany's first over Algeria at the third attempt, but this was a far from impressive display by the Germans over 120 minutes.

Schuerrle's deft flick on 92 minutes, then Ozil's 119th-minute tap-in was enough to put Joachim Loew's Germany into Friday's quarter-final at Rio de Janeiro's iconic Maracana stadium against France.

Algeria grabbed a deserved consolation for a battling display just before the final whistle as replacement Abdelmoumene Djabou claimed his second World Cup goal.

The stats show Germany had more than three times as many shots on goal as Algeria and their lack of finishing will be a concern for Loew.

Much of the pre-match talk had been of Algerian revenge more than three decades after the 'Shame of Gijon' when Germany's mutually beneficial 1-0 win over Austria sent Algeria home from the 1982 World Cup.

But Germany progress to the last eight at the expense of the north Africans, who had reached the last 16 of a World Cup for the first time.

Schuerrle's opening goal was just reward for a battling display as he created a string of chances after replacing the ineffective Mario Goetze at the break.

A blocked Goetze shot and a Thomas Mueller header were all Germany had to show for an opening 45 minutes which allowed Algeria to grow in confidence.

Sampdoria's Shkrodan Mustafi, who later limped out with a second-half hamstring injury, was a late call-up before kick-off at right-back in a reshuffled defence as flu-victim Mats Hummels dropped out.

Algeria had by far the better of the opening exchanges and forward Islam Slimani had the ball in the German net on 16 minutes, but was flagged for offside.

Schuerrle made the difference after the break as left-back Benedikt Hoewedes headed straight at M'Bolhi, while Germany captain Philipp Lahm fired wide with a long-range effort on 54 minutes.

Mustafi's injury brought Real Madrid's defensive midfielder Sami Khedira off the bench for the last 20 minutes as Lahm slotted into right-back.

Algeria kept pushing forward, but only a crucial M'Bolhi save denied Mueller with a bullet-header on 80 minutes before he hit the side netting moments later.

Extra-time had barely begun when Mueller fired in a cross which Schuerrle deflected into the back of the net with a deft flick to spare German blushes.

Algeria kept up the fight and Mostefa was left with his head in his hands when he fired wide just before the end of the first period of extra time.

Ozil looked to have killed off Algeria's hopes when he added the Germans' second just before the final whistle after an exchange of passes with the impressive Schuerrle.

But there was still enough time for Djabou to blast home a thunderbolt of a shot to spark faint hope before the referee ended Algeria's quarter-final dreams.

-- (c) Copyright AFP 2014-07-01