Livewire Origi inspires Belgium to thrilling win

PHOTO | GABRIEL BOUYS Belgium's midfielder Marouane Fellaini (right) celebrates with Belgium's forward Divock Origi after Fellaini scored his team's first goal during the Group H football match between Belgium and Algeria at the Mineirao Stadium in Belo Horizonte during the 2014 FIFA World Cup on June 17, 2014. Belgium won 2-1.

What you need to know:

  • The 19-year-old Lille forward came on as a 58th minute substitute for the fading Romelu Lukaku as Belgium were trailing 0-1 from a 25th-minute Sofiane Feghouli penalty and immediately injected power in Marc Wilmots’ team.
  • Algeria stunned the fancied Belgians after Tottenham’s Jan Vertonghen wrestled Valencia striker Feghouli to the ground.

Divock Origi inspired Belgium to a thrilling 2-1 victory over Algeria in a Group H match on Tuesday night. Origi, son of former Harambee Stars striker Mike Okoth, played a crucial part in the comeback win.

The 19-year-old Lille forward came on as a 58th minute substitute for the sluggish Romelu Lukaku as Belgium were trailing 0-1 from a 25th-minute Sofiane Feghouli penalty and immediately injected power in Marc Wilmots’ team.

Origi’s best moment came in the 67th minute when he missed a glorious opportunity to level the score when he fired from 25 yards but hawk-eyed goalkeeper Rais M'bolhi's right foot saved Algeria - but only for a while. Origi was a constant threat to the Algerian defence as Belgium sent men forward in search of an equaliser.

STUNNED THE FANCIED BELGIANS

Their efforts bore fruit and in the 70th minute, another substitute - Manchester United’s Marouane Fellaini - levelled with a powerful header.

Ten minutes later, Napoli winger Dries Mertens buried the second goal after receiving a sweeping pass from Chelsea star Eden Hazard to give Belgium a winning start.
Origi’s uncle, Austin Oduor, lavished praise on his nephew. “The boy (Origi) played well, it was his first World Cup game, came when the team was trailing and fought well. He needs to come into the next game with the same courage. He knows football and is endowed with stature,” Oduor told Daily Nation Sport moments after the match.

Algeria stunned the fancied Belgians after Tottenham’s Jan Vertonghen wrestled Valencia striker Feghouli to the ground.

Vertonghen was yellow-carded while Feghouli held his nerve to tuck a confident penalty beyond Thibaut Courtois in the Belgium goal.

It was Algeria’s first World Cup goal since 1986 and conjured up memories of their famous 1982 win over West Germany.

POOR FIRST HALF

Belgium were poor in the first half and had to wait until the end of the first half for their first serious attempt on goal when Nacer Chadli was put clean through by Eden Hazard.

But Chadli’s effort was well-saved by Rais M’bolhi.

Belgium coach Marc Wilmots, who has never lost a competitive fixture as national team coach, took off the fading Lukaku for the Kenyan-Belgian Origi and then Fellaini and the more muscular approach paid off.

Fellaini headed in a pinpoint cross from Kevin De Bruyne and 10 minutes later it was 2-1 as Mertens was left in too much space by the tiring Algerians and the Napoli man drove the ball home.
Another Fellaini header was tipped over by M’bolhi as Belgium finished the strongest.