World Cup: Belgium accomplishes mission, Portugal's hope not dead - PHOTOS

This time it was the United States that gave up the dramatic goal.

Portugal's Silvestre Varela scored on a strong headed goal deep, deep in stoppage time to give Portugal a desperate 2-2 draw with the United States in a key Group G World Cup match at Manaus, Brazil.

The goal, in the 95th minute, came off a cross from Cristiano Ronaldo, who showed no signs of a knee injury that was the subject of much media attention in the buildup to the contest.

Second half strikes by U.S. midfielder Jermaine Jones and striker Clint Dempsey had given the United States a 2-1 lead until Portugal rescued its World Cup chances.


"You're disappointed not to get three points but at the same time you have to take the positives from the game," Dempsey said. "We're happy with four points and there's everything to play for in the last game."

The United States plays co-group leader Germany on Thursday while Ghana and Portugal square off.

The Americans will win the group with a victory, but could also advance to the Round of 16 with a draw and a tie in the other match, which will be played at the same time.

But if Ghana or Portugal wins and the other match also has a winner, tiebreakers -- the first being goal differential -- will determine the second-place team in the group.

The American goals made up for an early U.S. miscue that allowed Portugal to take a 1-0 lead when Nani scored after a U.S clearance attempt went awry.

U.S. defender Geoff Cameron tried to knock away a cross but the ball went to a wide-open Nani, who waited for U.S. goalkeeper Tim Howard to go down, then slammed home a shot from 6 yards in the fifth minute.

"You never want to get scored on but it was good for us," said U.S. midfielder Kyle Beckerman, who thought the Americans picked up their play immediately after the goal.

Jones scored a sweet goal after Portugal cleared a U.S. corner. The German-born player took a couple of touches that unleashed a wicked bending shot that left Portugal goalkeepter Beto standing helplessly still in the 64th minute.

Dempsey scored in the 81st minute when midfielder Graham Zusi sent a ball toward goal that the U.S. star redirected into the net.

Portugal, the fourth-ranked team in the world and one of the pre-tournament favorites in Group G, outshot the Americans 20 to 15.

But Howard had four saves, including an outstanding two-stop sequence. The first came on a Nani shot in the first half that Howard turned off the post and a rebound that he punched away while reaching over his head.

"I don't think Portugal broke us down. I think we in a way let ourselves down," said Howard, who was named man of the match. "So that's kind of a good sign because had we gotten torn apart it would have been a lot tougher."

The Portuguese team was missing defender Pepe through a red card suspension and striker Hugo Almeida and defender Fabio Coentrao, who were injured.

Dempsey was playing with a broken nose that he said made it hard to breathe in the Americans' 2-1 dramatic win over Ghana on a late goal by substitute John Brooks. After the match he said he made it through Sunday's contest without problems.

The United States was missing striker Jozy Altidore, who has a strained left hamstring. Dempsey, normally a midfielder, moved to the top of the U.S. formation in Altidore's place while Zusi slid into the starting lineup.

The game was played in the heat and humidity of the Amazon rainforest. The heat index was 93 degrees at kickoff and the weather seemed to have an effect on the pace of the game as the match moved into the second 45 minutes. The referee even allowed a short water break in the first half, a first in a World Cup match.

The second half was played at a much more measured pace until after the U.S. goals, when Portugal attacked with more intensity, searching for the score that would keep it from being eliminated from the tournament.

The Americans, 13th in the FIFA rankings, were cheered on by about 20,000 red, white and blue fans at Arena Amazonia.

The United States and Portugal are the final two of the 32 teams to play their second match. Monday features four matches, two in Group A and two in Group B, as several teams battle for spots and seedings in the next round while others that have been eliminated let some reserves get in a World Cup match.

A late goal from teenage substitute Divock Origi gave Belgium a hard-fought Group H victory over Russia at a sun-kissed Marcana Stadium Sunday.

The 19-year-old striker pounced on Eden Hazard's cut-back to drive the ball high into the net past Igor Akinfeev, sending Marc Wilmots' team into the last 16 of the World Cup with a game to spare.

In Sunday's second Group H fixture, Algeria overcame South Korea 4-2 in Porto Alegre for its first World Cup victory since defeating Chile in Spain 1982.

The results mean Russia, Algeria and South Korea all still have a chance of progressing to the second phase alongside Belgium, with the final round of matches on Thursday.

Belgium 1-0 Russia

In what was largely a tepid and tame match, Belgium controlled much of the possession -- although it was Russia who had the better of the early play and chances.

Victor Fayzulan's low drive from the edge of the box was saved by Thibaut Courtois as the sides sized each other up early on.

Alexander Kokorin missed a glorious chance for the Russians just before halftime when he headed wide unmarked from only eight yards out.

Fabio Capello's men felt they should have had penalty earlier in the half after Maksim Kanunnikov tumbled under the challenge of Tony Alderweireld but the referee adjudged the Russian midfielder to have stumbled over the ball.

If the first half was starved of chances, the second half was famished. There was little of note until the last 15 minutes when the Belgians began to press

Kevin Mirallas drilled a free kick from 25 yards low against Akinfeev's right-hand post before Hazard had a shot deflected narrowly wide after displaying some nifty footwork inside the Russian penalty area.

But just as a draw seemed likely, the Chelsea star again weaved some magic to set up Origi -- who had come on in the second half to replace the ineffectual Romelu Lukaku.

The late strike also marked the first time a teenager has scored at a World Cup since Lionel Messi did so for Argentina against Serbia in 2006.

"It was a highly tactical game," a satisfied Wilmots told reporters after the match. "We were fresher, we were better and that made the difference -- maybe due to our very good fitness preparations."

With qualification now guaranteed, the 45-year-old also hinted at resting players for the final group match against South Korea Thursday.

"We want to be number one in the group but if there are yellow cards or for reasons of freshness I may make a decision," said Wilmots, who is Belgium's all-time leading scorer at the World Cup with five goals from the three tournaments he played at from 1994-2002.

Capello, meanwhile, lamented what he saw as his side's hard luck in his post match comments.

"The truth of the matter is we had chances to win it but we lost. Both teams gave it their all and unfortunately it was Belgium that was able to make it," the Italian said.

"We have to look forward and I said when we came to play in this World Cup after being absent for 12 years that this will be a great help for us to understand the level we need to be at in future competitions."

Algeria 4-2 South Korea

The Desert Foxes picked up their first World Cup victory in 32 years after a three-goal first-half blitz at Estadio Beira-Rio.
Halliche honored to represent Algeria

Man of the match Islam Slimani, defender Rafik Halliche and forward Abdelmoumene Djabou gave the North Africans a convincing lead as they overpowered the 2002 semifinalist.

Son Heungmin pulled a goal back for South Korea at the beginning of the second half before Yacine Brahimi -- who switched allegiance from his native France last year -- restored Algeria's advantage with a tidy finish after a one-two with Slimani on the edge of the area.

South Korea captain Koo Jacheol then pulled another back with 18 minutes remaining, but Algeria held on for the historic win.

Coach Vahid Halilhodzic, who guided Ivory Coast to the last World Cup but was fired before it started, knows his team can reach the second round for the first time by beating Russia on Thursday.

Russia can also progress with a win if South Korea fails to defeat Belgium.

If Algeria and Russia draw, South Korea can go through by beating Belgium.

If Russia and South Korea both win, the Asian side will have to do so by two more goals to overcome its differential deficit.

/CNN/