By: Felipe Zatarain
Like Willie Mays tracking down a fly ball the Algerian Slimani’s run between two defenders to bring a long, looping pass down to his feet brought his side a needed gooooooool! At the 26′ Algeria’s fans danced in the aisles.
A loss to Korea would send the North Africans home. The Algerian plan to bring extra attackers forward, who unlike some offensive players, returned at full speed their defensive zone played havoc with both the Korean offense and defense.
At the 28′ Algeria’s height resulted in a second goal with one of this quadrennial’s most accurate corner kicks. In a Cup characterized by a surfeit of sloppy set pieces often created by poorly placed passes from the corner arc, this goal was very satisfying to the soccer aficionado.
At 38 minutes Djabou scored off a crossing pass in the box. The Korean goaltender came off his line to meet the ball 5 yards out only to stretch his legs and see the ball roll between them into the net.
Where was this team a few days ago? They appeared invincible, combining the ability to put together passes both long and short with a resilient and consistent defense that kept the Koreans from finding shooting lanes. The Koreans were forced to protect their goal and with ten minutes remaining in the first half began to resort to unsuccessful counter-attack.
At halftime Korea’s hope was to become the second team in Cup history to overcome a three-nil halftime deficit.
If any football team deserves an Academy or Cannes award it was South Korea. Coming back on the field after halftime their body language revealed a dispirited team.
Then Game Two! The second half. This was not nervous football played by teams afraid to be further embarrassed or afraid to lose. Not these teams. Korea became a strategic mirror of Algeria.
H. N. Son trapped a long pass off his back. The ball fell toward his dominant left side and he spun in that direction creating less than half a body separation from his defender.
Kim’s left footer was a well-deserved and earned goal. Later Algeria’s goalie volleyed a cannon ball shot from 60 yards. Korea would not go quietly into the night.
At 62′ Brahimi’s give and go repaid the tunnel given up by the Algerian goalie and seemed to sealed Algeria’s victory. The goal came after a play which seemed destined to end with a Korean goal. The volley lead to a classic counter attack goal featuring a long pass, crossover dribbling, a give and go, and a score. Algeria had become the first African team to score four goals in the World Cup.
Korea scored one last goal when Lee’s right instep from three yards finally ended the disarray that results when a blocked shot ball rebounds off legs and bodies in the box.
This was a well-played, clean football game. There were great plays without the presence of preening stars. The Algerians earned the victory by implementing a well designed strategy later copied by their opponent. Their Asian opponents did not “lose face”. They lost a football match to a team whose back was against the wall and whose level of play could not be anticipated given their poor play in earlier group play. Given the time to regroup and re-strategize the Koreans proved they can adapt and will be formidable in their final group play match. The same can be said about the Algerians.