CURITIBA, Brazil - Algeria qualified for the World Cup knockout stages for the first time, with Islam Slimanis headed equalizer giving his team a 1-1 draw against Russia on Thursday and enough competition points to move into the second round. Algeria was the last team to secure a spot in the Round of 16 when it placed second to Belgium in Group H. Its progress means Africa has two representatives in the second round for the first time — Nigeria qualified on Wednesday. The Algerians next play Germany on Monday. The victory prompted mass celebrations on the pitch among the players, and had coach Vahid Halilhodzic shaking his head in apparent disbelief. "I think Algeria played a heroic match and our qualification is perfectly deserved," Halilhodzic said. Russia, needing a win to advance, went on the attack from the start and dominated the first half with its intricate and swift passing movements through midfield. The Russians took the lead in the 6th minute when Alexander Kokorin powerfully headed in a left-foot cross from Dmitry Kombarov. Slimanis 60th-minute equalizer came after Russia goalkeeper Igor Akinfeev failed to catch a swinging left-foot free kick from Yacine Brahimi. That was the second costly error that Akinfeev has made in the tournament for Russia. However, there were indications on the TV broadcast that a green laser was being shone toward the goalkeeper just before the free kick was taken. As well as bemoaning the match officials, Russia coach Fabio Capello said his goalkeeper was "blinded by the laser beam." Failure to advance put pressure on Capellos position, although he said it was up to the Russias football federation to decide whether he was the right manager to lead the team when the country hosts the World Cup in 2018. Capello recently signed a contract extension that would see him at the helm through the 2018 World Cup. Asked whether he would stay, he said: "If they still want me, yes." Halilhodzic said he told his team at halftime not to panic after Russias strong start to the game. "During the first half Russia used its experience .... my players were a bit naive," he said. The team has shown signs of progress during the tournament and Halilhodzic thought they could compete well against Germany. In the second half, Brahimi troubled the Russia defence consistently until his substitution late in the game. Along with midfielder Sofiane Feghouli and man-of-the-match Slimani, he helped neutralize much of Russias attacking intent through the second half. Before Algerias equalizer, Russia had chances to double its lead, notably in the 26th minute when Oleg Shatov weaved through the Algeria midfield but his right-foot shot drifted wide of the Algeria post. Algeria came closest to qualifying for the second stage at the World Cup in 1982, but West Germany and Austria played out a result that suited both of those teams. The European teams, meeting a day after Algeria had won its last group game, knew that a 1-0 win for West Germany would put both through to the second round at Algerias expense. It remains one of the most contentious group games in the tournaments history. Now that it has qualified for the second round, Algeria can look at the tournament from a different perspective. After all, it beat West Germany 2-1 in one of the great World Cup upsets in 1982. Cheap Willie McCovey Jersey . - Nikita Jevpalovs scored 6:22 into the second overtime as the Blainville-Boisbriand Armada edged the visiting Rimouski Oceanic 2-1 on Tuesday in Quebec Major Junior Hockey League playoff action. Cheap Will Clark Jersey . 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Jaso drove in three runs Sunday night, helping Scott Kazmir and Oakland beat the Texas Rangers 9-3.CALGARY -- Mikael Backlund scored twice, including the winner, as the Calgary Flames edged the Minnesota Wild 4-3 in overtime on Saturday. Backlund took the puck to the net and sent a pass to Sean Monahan, whos shot was stopped by Wild netminder Darcy Kuemper. The puck, however, bounced into the air and Backlund batted it down and past Kuemper at 2:25 of extra time. Its Calgarys fifth straight victory and also completes a perfect 5-0-0 homestand. The last time the Flames swept a homestand of that length was in 1997 - Jarome Iginlas rookie season. TJ Galiardi, with his first goal in 38 games, and Dennis Wideman also scored for Calgary (21-27-7), which last won five games in a row in March 2012. Mark Giordano had two assists to extend his career-high point streak to nine games, which includes four goals and six assists. Matt Cooke, Dany Heatley and Keith Ballard scored for Minnesota (29-21-7). Trailing 3-1 halfway through the third period, the Wild drew to within one on Dany Heatleys power-play goal at 10:31. Ballard then silenced the Scotiabank Saddledome sell-out crowd of 19,289 with the tying goal at 15:55. On a Minnesota rush, Ballard got caught up with Wideman as he drove the net. With Wideman tangled up with goaltender Reto Berra, Ballard backed away just in time to one-time a centring pass from Kyle Brodziak into the top corner. It was back on Oct. 4 in the Flames second game of the season in Columbus when Galiardi, acquired in an off-season trade with San Jose, scored his first goal as a Flame. Little did the Calgary native know at the time it would take nearly four months for him to score again. However, he did make it a beauty when he finally ended the drought at 12:36 of the first period to give the Flames a 1-0 lead. After getting a pass from Kevin Westgarth, Galiardi spun and quickly sent a backhand into the top corner. Immediately, the 25-year-old loooked skywards in a show of both relief and shock that he finally scored.dddddddddddd That lead would hold up until 14:03 of the second period when Cooke tied it for the Wild while shorthanded. Cooke burst down the left wing and from just inside the top of the face-off circle blasted a slapshot over the shoulder of Berra. Berra did not start the game for the Flames. He entered with 2:28 left in the first period when Karri Ramo left with a lower-body injury. The Flames regained the lead with 1:36 left in the second on a nifty deflection from Wideman. Shortly after failing to score on a power play, Chris Butler fired a shot from the blue-line that Wideman redirected thigh-high from the high slot and past Kuemper. Calgary surged in front 3-1 one minute into the third period when Backlund finished off a three-on-one for the Flames. The shorthanded goal was the third of the season for Backlund, moving him into a tie for second in the NHL behind Bostons Brad Marchand. While most of the season has seen Calgary equally divide up the starts between Ramo and Berra, Ramo (11-10-4) had been the better of the two in recent weeks and had been getting the majority of the playing time with Saturday being his sixth start in the last seven contests. Berra had 14 saves to improve to 7-14-2. He has yet to win in regulation, with four shootout victories and Saturday being his third overtime win. Kuemper made his 10th straight start in net for the Wild. He had 28 saves to fall to 6-4-1. Notes: The Flames final three games before the Olympic break will be on the road beginning in Montreal on Tuesday... Minnesota plays twice at home before its break begins... The Flames have eight shorthanded goals, which is second in the NHL behind Carolina (9)... Flames D Kris Russell (upper body) did not play. Taking his spot was Chris Breen, who played for the first time since being recalled from Abbotsford (AHL) on Jan. 26. 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