AlgeriavsAustria

Result

A breathless decider finished level and put both sides through. Marko Arnautović headed Austria ahead, Rafik Belghali levelled on the stroke of half-time and Marcel Sabitzer restored the lead, before Riyad Mahrez struck twice — the second deep in stoppage time — to seemingly win it, only for Saša Kalajdžić to head an injury-time equaliser with virtually the last touch. The point sends Austria through second and Algeria third, and ends IR Iran's hopes.

Algeria 4-2-3-14-2-3-1 Austria

Algeria

Austria

Rafik Belghali45'

Marko Arnautović28'

Riyad Mahrez60'

Marcel Sabitzer55'

Riyad Mahrez90'+3'

Saša Kalajdžić90'+6'

Marko Arnautović11'

65%Possession35%

12Shots10

5On target3

1Saves2

0Corners3

706Passes completed346

94%Pass accuracy87%

11Tackles11

22Touches in box18

Substitutions

Rayan Aït-Nourifor Jaouen Hadjamat 71'

Michael Gregoritschfor Marko Arnautovićat 45'

Zineddine Belaïdfor Amine Gouiriat 71'

Florian Grillitschfor Xaver Schlagerat 45'

Samir Cherguifor Rafik Belghaliat 71'

Paul Wannerfor Romano Schmidat 45'

Farès Ghedjemisfor Houssem Aouarat 90'+4'

Kevin Dansofor David Alabaat 62'

Saša Kalajdžićfor Phillipp Mweneat 90'+5'

At this Stage

Second place in Group J changed hands with virtually the last touch of the group stage. Riyad Mahrez's stoppage-time strike had Algeria 3-2 up and provisionally through as runners-up; Saša Kalajdžić's injury-time header made it 3-3, and with both sides on four points the ledger did the deciding — Austria's goal difference of zero beats Algeria's minus-two, so it is Austria who advance behind Argentina, group winners at a perfect nine after beating Jordan 3-1. Algeria instead carry four points into the best-third pool, where a result that felt like two points lost must now be weighed against other groups before anyone knows what it bought. Jordan finish bottom without a point. At this stage, Group J comes down to one header: the difference between a round-of-32 ticket and a week in the waiting room.

Group J

Team	P	W	D	L	GD	Pts
Argentina	3	3	0	0	+7	9
Austria	3	1	1	1	+0	4
Algeria	3	1	1	1	-2	4
Jordan	3	0	0	3	-5	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.

Austria to win a straight shootout for second. Algeria and Austria are level on three points behind a runaway Argentina, and with a draw leaving both exposed to the best-third maths, this is effectively knockout football. Ralf Rangnick's Austria have the sharper edge — Marcel Sabitzer, Konrad Laimer and the energy of a well-drilled press — and showed it in beating Jordan 3-1. Algeria carry threat through Riyad Mahrez and Amine Gouiri, but Austria's structure and finishing give them a slight edge in Kansas City. 2-1 Austria.

Both cases written 2026-06-26, 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 30% belongs to the draw.