Koren fires Slovenia to victory

Algeria goalkeeper Farouzi Chaouchi's error 11 minutes from time handed Slovenia a crucial 1-0 victory in their Group C match at Polokwane.

Less than 24 hours after England's Robert Green had let Clint Dempsey's shot slip from his grasp in the 1-1 draw in the group's opening game, Chaouchi produced a similar howler.

Slovenia captain Robert Koren's 25-yard shot was not particularly venomous but the Algeria goalkeeper allowed it to bounce up off his shoulder and into the net. Only moments before that the Africans had been reduced to 10 men when substitute Abdelkader Ghezzal's needless handball resulted in a second yellow card.

Portsmouth defender Nadir Belhadj presented an early threat when he forced Slovenia goalkeeper Samir Handanovic to tip over a third-minute curling free-kick from the edge of the penalty area.

Just before the interval Karim Matmour's left-foot half-volley flew narrowly over the crossbar at one end while Chaouchi had to acrobatically tip over Valter Birsa's long-range effort at the other.

Both teams changed their strikers early in the second half; Slovenia sending on Zlatan Ljubijankic for the ineffective Zlatko Dedic and Algeria replacing Rafik Djebbour with Ghezzal.

But Belhadj's delivery remained the most likely weapon to create the breakthrough as Rafik Halliche had a free-kick snatched off his forehead by Handanovic.

Algeria's chances of victory diminished considerably in the 73rd minute when Ghezzal, having been booked with seconds of coming on for pulling Marko Suler's shirt, received a second caution for handballing a long punt forward.

Six minutes later Koren punished the north Africans with a little help from Chaouchi.

The watching Zinedine Zidane, born in France to Algerian parents and considered a hero in the north African country, was not impressed.