Robert Koren's goal 11 minutes from time secured a first World Cup finals victory for Slovenia with a scrappy 1-0 win over Algeria in Polokwane.

Robert Koren's goal 11 minutes from time secured a first-ever World Cup finals victory for Slovenia following a scrappy 1-0 win over Algeria in Polokwane.
A disappointing game turned on the second-half sending off of Algeria substitute Abdelkader Ghezzal as Koren's winner came six minutes after he had seen red for two needless bookings.
The narrow victory sends Slovenia to the top of the fledgling Group C table above England and the United States, who drew 0-0 in Rustenburg on Saturday evening.
Matjaz Kek's side were fortunate winners as Algeria dominated possession for vast periods of the game and had the better of what few chances were created.
Portsmouth wing-back Nadir Belhadj tested Slovenia goalkeeper Samir Handanovic with a third-minute free-kick which he tipped over the crossbar.
A low-key first half followed with neither side able to link midfield to attack before Algeria wasted their best chance of the entire match on 37 minutes.
Towering defender Rafik Halliche met a corner with a stooping header but looked on aghast as his effort from six-yard bounced the wrong side of the upright.
The half ended with goalkeeper Faouzi Chaouchi acrobatically tipping a left-foot shot from Valter Birsa over the top.
Neither coach made a change at half-time and the result was a continuation of the cagey first period in which defences were always on top.
Hassan Yebda for Algeria and Slovenia's Andraz Kirm both fired half-chances straight at the respective keepers, before Ghezzal was booked for the first time after pulling back Marko Suler within seconds of coming on.
The striker looked useful as he got on the end of a couple of hopeful crosses and looped a header narrowly over the bar.
However, he inexplicably chose to handle another cross in the 73rd minute and left the referee with no option but to send him off.
Algeria nearly stole the opening goal of the game when Karim Ziani nipped in to take the ball off the toes of the sleeping Suler only for Handanovic to race out and smother the danger before lambasting his lax team-mate.
But the decisive moment of the game came at the other end in the 79th minute when Koren dispatched a shot from the edge of the box which the keeper should have comfortably dealt with.
Chaouchi though made a hash of trying to scoop up the ball and the Algeria defence watched in horror as it bounced into the corner of the net to settle a disappointing encounter.

A disappointing game turned on the second-half sending off of Algeria substitute Abdelkader Ghezzal as Koren's winner came six minutes after he had seen red for two needless bookings.

The narrow victory sends Slovenia to the top of the fledgling Group C table above England and the United States, who drew 0-0 in Rustenburg on Saturday evening.

Matjaz Kek's side were fortunate winners as Algeria dominated possession for vast periods of the game and had the better of what few chances were created.

Portsmouth wing-back Nadir Belhadj tested Slovenia goalkeeper Samir Handanovic with a third-minute free-kick which he tipped over the crossbar.

A low-key first half followed with neither side able to link midfield to attack before Algeria wasted their best chance of the entire match on 37 minutes.

Towering defender Rafik Halliche met a corner with a stooping header but looked on aghast as his effort from six-yard bounced the wrong side of the upright.

The half ended with goalkeeper Faouzi Chaouchi acrobatically tipping a left-foot shot from Valter Birsa over the top.

Neither coach made a change at half-time and the result was a continuation of the cagey first period in which defences were always on top.

Hassan Yebda for Algeria and Slovenia's Andraz Kirm both fired half-chances straight at the respective keepers, before Ghezzal was booked for the first time after pulling back Marko Suler within seconds of coming on.

The striker looked useful as he got on the end of a couple of hopeful crosses and looped a header narrowly over the bar.

He inexplicably chose to handle another cross in the 73rd minute and left the referee with no option but to send him off for a second booking.

Algeria nearly stole the opening goal of the game when Karim Ziani nipped in to take the ball off the toes of the sleeping Suler only for Handanovic to race out and smother the danger before lambasting his lax teammate.


But the decisive moment of the game came at the other end in the 79th minute when Koren dispatched a shot from the edge of the box which the keeper should have comfortably dealt with.

Chaouchi though made a hash of trying to scoop up the ball and the Algeria defence watched in horror as it bounced into the corner of the net to settle a disappointing encounter.