Mexico holds Brazil to nil-nil tie

GOALKEEPER Guillermo Ochoa made a series of outstanding saves to help Mexico hold Brazil to a thrilling, 0-0 draw at the World Cup yesterday in Fortaleza, Brazil.

The result leaves both teams with four points each after two games in Group A, but Brazil is ahead on goal difference going into its decisive final match.

Ochoa's first remarkable save prevented Neymar from scoring in the 26th minute. The Brazil striker's powerful header looked set to fly just inside the post when the goalkeeper dived to his right to push the ball wide.

Ochoa also made three other difficult saves to keep the hosts from breaking the deadlock - a shot by Paulinho in the 44th, a second-half effort by Neymar from inside the area and a close-range header by Thiago Silva in the 86th minute that produced a remarkable block by the Mexico goalkeeper.

"It was the match of my life," said Ochoa, who was visibly moved after the match. "To do it in a World Cup, in front of all the fans, it's incredible."

Mexico coach Miguel Herrera called Ochoa the "hero" of the match.

"He did what we expected him to do, he came up with extraordinary saves," Herrera said.

After stopping Silva's header, there was still time for a thrilling end to the game.

The referee dismissed Brazilian claims for a penalty after Marcelo seemed to have been grabbed in the 88th minute. Mexico then had two great chances, first with Andres Guardado's shot over the crossbar in the 90th and then with an effort by Raul Jimenez that was stopped by Brazil goalkeeper Julio Cesar in injury time.

"In the end, the 0-0 mirrors what happened; it was a very hard-fought match," Brazil coach Luiz Felipe Scolari said. "The draw wasn't a good result because a victory would have already allowed us to advance, but we need to be able to respect our opponent, which played very well."

Among those in the crowd of 60,342 was Kobe Bryant.

* At Belo Horizonte, second-half goals by two subs lifted Belgium to a 2-1 comeback victory over Algeria in Group H.

Algeria opened the scoring with a penalty in the 25th minute and the surprising lead stood for 45 minutes until Marouane Fellaini's strong glancing header, with his back to the goal, from a Kevin De Bruyne cross.

Fellaini, who many had considered would start the match, had only come onto the pitch 5 minutes earlier and was coach Marc Wilmots' final substitution.

Ten minutes later, Dries Mertens' right-foot strike beat Algeria's goalkeeper after Eden Hazard saw him free on the right and set him up for the decider. Mertens, who went on at the start of the second half, sent his shot high in the net outside of Rais Mbolhi's reach.

* At Cuiaba, Alexander Kerzhakov scored with one of his first touches after coming on as a substitute to earn Russia a 1-1, Group H draw with South Korea.