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Africa earned more respect at the Brazil 2014 World Cup when Algeria joined Nigeria to qualify for the knockout stages.

Ghana, however, failed to make it after losing its last group match 1-2 to Portugal, which also crashed out despite parading World Footballer of the Year Cristiano Ronaldo.

The Desert Foxes of Algeria needed a draw against Russia at the Arena da Baixada in Curitiba to advance and fought hard to get it, with Budweiser Man of the Match Islam Slimani heading in from a precision-guided Yacine Brahimi free-kick in the 60^th minute to cancel out Kokorin’s sixth minute goal.

With that Algeria progressed to the World Cup Round of 16 for the first time in the history, thus providing further cause for cheer for Africa following the ouster of Cameroon, Ivory Coast and Ghana as the group stage reached its climax.

Today is a rest day in the tournament that started June 12 and ends July 13. The knockout stages begin tomorrow with hosts Brazil taking on Chile at the Estadio Mineirao, Belo Horizonte, and Colombia facing Uruguay at the Estadio Maracana, Rio de Janeiro.

•Photo shows ecstatic Algerian players celebrating the country’s first ever qualification for the knockout stages of the World Cup . . . yesterday at the Arena da Baixada in Curitiba, Brazil.

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