JordanvsAlgeria

Result

Algeria came from behind to keep their campaign alive at San Francisco Bay Area Stadium, knocking the World Cup debutants out. Nizar Al-Rashdan stunned the favourites on 36 minutes with a first-time strike from outside the box, but Jordan could not hold on after the break: substitute Nadhir Benbouali headed in Riyad Mahrez's corner on 69 minutes, and Amine Gouiri volleyed home from another set piece on 82 to complete the turnaround. Algeria dominated possession and the corner count, and a much-changed Jordan — eliminated with a game to spare — could not turn their early lead into a famous first World Cup point.

Jordan 3-4-2-14-2-3-1 Algeria

Jordan

Algeria

Nizar Al-Rashdan36'

Nadhir Benbouali69'

Amine Gouiri82'

Husam Abu Dahab64'

Ramiz Zerrouki44'

28%Possession72%

8Shots17

4On target8

6Saves3

1Corners10

181Passes completed561

72%Pass accuracy88%

30Tackles25

13Touches in box30

Substitutions

Odeh Fakhouryfor Al-Mardiat 76'

Nabil Bentalebfor Ramiz Zerroukiat 45'

Ali Azaizehfor Mousa Al-Tamariat 84'

Nadhir Benboualifor Hicham Boudaouiat 45'

Mohammad Abu Hasheeshfor Mohannad Abu Tahaat 85'

Anis Hadj Moussafor Riyad Mahrezat 76'

Saleem Obaidfor Husam Abu Dahabat 90'+1'

Jaouen Hadjamfor Rayan Aït-Nouriat 85'

Mohammed Abu Zraiqfor Ali Olwanat 90'+2'

Zineddine Belaïdfor Amine Gouiriat 86'

At this Stage

Matchday 2 drew Group J's first hard line: Jordan, the group's World Cup debutants, are out with a game to spare. For the second match running a promising position dissolved late — Nizar Al-Rashdan's strike had them ahead until two Algerian set pieces, Benbouali's header and Gouiri's volley, turned it 2-1. Algeria's reward is a live campaign: level with Austria on three points, behind on goal difference (-2 to 0), with the final round offering a direct route to second place behind an Argentina side on six points, five goals scored and none conceded after beating Austria 2-0. One team has left the group, one has all but claimed it, and everything still to decide lives in the middle. Jordan at least depart holding Ali Olwan's first-ever World Cup goal — history, if not a point.

Group J

Team	P	W	D	L	GD	Pts
Argentina	2	2	0	0	+5	6
Austria	2	1	0	1	+0	3
Algeria	2	1	0	1	-2	3
Jordan	2	0	0	2	-3	0

Top two (above the accent line) advance to the round of 32; the third-placed team is in the race for one of the eight best-third spots.

What we know now

What I said beforehand

The preview, frozen at kickoff. Clearly dated, never rewritten — that's the deal that makes the predictions worth anything.

Algeria to win. Both sides are still searching for their first points after opening defeats — Jordan losing 3-1 to Austria, Algeria 3-0 to Argentina — making this effectively must-win for each. Vladimir Petković should restore Riyad Mahrez to the XI, and Algeria's individual quality through Mahrez and Amine Gouiri edges a tense Group J clash in the Bay Area. Jordan, buoyed by Ali Olwan's historic first World Cup goal, will keep it tight, but Algeria to win 2-1.

Both cases written 2026-06-21, before kickoff — they freeze into the record exactly as written, however the match goes. The percentages are mine, quoted to a decimal because false precision is funnier — the unclaimed 31% belongs to the draw.