went on the attack from the start and dominated the first half

CURITIBA, Brazil - Algeria qualified for the World Cup knockout stages for the first time, with Islam Slimanis headed equalizer giving his team a 1-1 draw against Russia on Thursday and enough competition points to move into the second round. Teez Tabor Jersey . Algeria was the last team to secure a spot in the Round of 16 when it placed second to Belgium in Group H. Its progress means Africa has two representatives in the second round for the first time — Nigeria qualified on Wednesday. The Algerians next play Germany on Monday. The victory prompted mass celebrations on the pitch among the players, and had coach Vahid Halilhodzic shaking his head in apparent disbelief. "I think Algeria played a heroic match and our qualification is perfectly deserved," Halilhodzic said. Russia, needing a win to advance, went on the attack from the start and dominated the first half with its intricate and swift passing movements through midfield. The Russians took the lead in the 6th minute when Alexander Kokorin powerfully headed in a left-foot cross from Dmitry Kombarov. Slimanis 60th-minute equalizer came after Russia goalkeeper Igor Akinfeev failed to catch a swinging left-foot free kick from Yacine Brahimi. That was the second costly error that Akinfeev has made in the tournament for Russia. However, there were indications on the TV broadcast that a green laser was being shone toward the goalkeeper just before the free kick was taken. As well as bemoaning the match officials, Russia coach Fabio Capello said his goalkeeper was "blinded by the laser beam." Failure to advance put pressure on Capellos position, although he said it was up to the Russias football federation to decide whether he was the right manager to lead the team when the country hosts the World Cup in 2018. Capello recently signed a contract extension that would see him at the helm through the 2018 World Cup. Asked whether he would stay, he said: "If they still want me, yes." Halilhodzic said he told his team at halftime not to panic after Russias strong start to the game. "During the first half Russia used its experience .... my players were a bit naive," he said. The team has shown signs of progress during the tournament and Halilhodzic thought they could compete well against Germany. In the second half, Brahimi troubled the Russia defence consistently until his substitution late in the game. Along with midfielder Sofiane Feghouli and man-of-the-match Slimani, he helped neutralize much of Russias attacking intent through the second half. Before Algerias equalizer, Russia had chances to double its lead, notably in the 26th minute when Oleg Shatov weaved through the Algeria midfield but his right-foot shot drifted wide of the Algeria post. Algeria came closest to qualifying for the second stage at the World Cup in 1982, but West Germany and Austria played out a result that suited both of those teams. The European teams, meeting a day after Algeria had won its last group game, knew that a 1-0 win for West Germany would put both through to the second round at Algerias expense. It remains one of the most contentious group games in the tournaments history. Now that it has qualified for the second round, Algeria can look at the tournament from a different perspective. After all, it beat West Germany 2-1 in one of the great World Cup upsets in 1982. Ziggy Ansah Jersey . - Free agent defensive end Will Smith has signed with the New England Patriots. http://www.officiallionsgear.com/Lions-Jarrad-Davis-Draft-Jersey/ . Chris Heisey followed with a two-run triple and Billy Hamilton added an RBI double, all but sealing Cincinnatis fourth straight victory and seventh in eight games. Brandon Phillips, celebrating his 33rd birthday, hit a go-ahead homer in the ninth for the Reds before pinch-hitter Buster Posey tied it with an RBI double off hard-throwing closer Aroldis Chapman in the bottom half. http://www.officiallionsgear.com/Lions-Quandre-Diggs-Draft-Jersey/ . The Toronto Blue Jays star won his second consecutive Hank Aaron Award as the most outstanding offensive performer in the AL on Monday after votes by fans and a panel of Hall of Famers were tallied.WASHINGTON - Alexander Steen had two goals and an assist, Brian Elliot stopped 33 shots, and the streaking St. Louis Blues held on to defeat the Washington Capitals 4-3 on Sunday afternoon.Dmitrij Jaskin and Vladimir Tarasenko also scored for the Blues, winners of five straight and 10 of 11. T.J. Oshie added three assists.Washingtons Alex Ovechkin scored twice, giving him a league-leading 31 goals. He became the fifth player in NHL history to start his career with 10 30-goal seasons.Ovechkin, who added an assist, has 15 goals in his last 15 games.Karl Alzner also scored for Washington, which is 1-4-2 in its last seven. Nicklas Backstrom and Mike Green had two assists each. Justin Peters made 36 saves.Alzners shot from the point made it 4-3 with 7:32 remaining.Tarasenko had given St. Louis a 4-2 lead when he converted a pass from Steen on a 2-on-1 rush for his 25th goal at 6:13 of the third period.The teams were tied after trading power-play goals in the first period.St. Louis struck first when Peters stopped Oshies blast from the point and Jaden Schwartzs initial rebound attempt, before Steen poked the puck home for his 16th goal at the 2:34 mark.Ovechkin tied it at 9:50 of the first when he blasted Greens pass by a sliding Elliot from his familiar power play home iin the left circle. Tavon Wilson Jersey. .Already minus defenceman Kevin Shattenkirk, who left the game with a lower-body injury after a first-period collision with Ovechkin, the Blues lost forward David Backes when he was ejected for boarding Alzner early in the second.St. Louis killed off a five-minute Washington power play and took the lead just over a minute later. Catching the Capitals on a change, the Blues skated in 3 on 2. Steen gave up the puck but got it back in front of the net and banged his own rebound past Peters to make it 2-1.The Capitals tied it after St. Louis turned the puck over in its own end and Ovechkins wrist shot from the left circle got past Elliot at 14:30.Less than two minutes later, the Blues regained the lead — again off a rebound — when Jaskin slid the puck past Peters from the slot.NOTES: Ovechkin (94) passed Peter Bondra (93) for first place on the Capitals franchise multi-goal games list. He joined Mike Gartner (15 seasons), Wayne Gretzky (13), Jari Kurri and Mike Bossy as 30-goal scorers in at least their first 10 seasons. ... The Capitals reassigned D Cameron Schilling to Hershey of the American Hockey League. ... The Blues were again without C Patrik Berglund and C Jori Lehtera, who both were hurt at Nashville on Thursday. Cheap Nuggets Jerseys Cheap Timberwolves Jerseys Cheap Thunder Jerseys Cheap Blazers Jerseys Cheap Jazz Jerseys Cheap Warriors Jerseys Cheap Clippers Jerseys Cheap Lakers Jerseys Cheap Suns Jerseys Cheap Kings Jerseys Cheap Mavericks Jerseys Cheap Rockets Jerseys Cheap Grizzlies Jerseys Cheap Pelicans Jerseys Cheap Spurs Jerseys ' ' '