Related videos:
Algeria completed a comeback against Jordan in the of the 2026 World Cup, held on Monday at the Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, California, to take home three points with a score of 2-1.
It was Jordan who took the lead: N. Al Rashdan scored in the 36th minute to surprise an Algerian team that, despite the setback, dominated the match from start to finish with 72% possession, 17 shots compared to eight, and nine corners to one.
The break brought about the turning point. Algeria made two simultaneous substitutions in the 46th minute — R. Zerrouki, who had received a yellow card two minutes earlier, and H. Boudaoui went off — and the introductions of N. Bentaleb and N. Benbouali transformed the offensive play of the North African team.
Benbouali quickly justified his presence: in the 69th minute, he equalized the match at one with a header following a corner taken by Mahrez, thus leveling a score that seemed difficult to recover from.
The goal came in the 82nd minute from Amine Gouiri, who pushed the ball into the back of the net inside the area to secure the final score of 2-1 and clinch the victory for Algeria. Gouiri was substituted four minutes later, in the 86th minute, by Z. Belaid.
Riyad Mahrez, a key player for the Algerian team, was also substituted in the 76th minute by A. Hadj Moussa, after having actively participated in the play that led to the equalizer.
Regarding the cards, each team received a caution: Zerrouki for Algeria in the 44th minute and H. Abu Dahab for Jordan in the 64th minute.
With the victory, and sits third in the standings, tied with Austria—second—but with a worse goal difference (-2 compared to 0). Argentina is already qualified as the leader with six points after two victories.
Jordan, on the other hand, is mathematically eliminated from the tournament with zero points and a goal difference of -3 after two matches. The Jordanians had previously lost 3-1 to Austria on the first matchday, although Ali Olwan scored in that defeat marking Jordan's historic first goal in World Cups.
Algeria, which returns to the World Cup after 12 years of absence since Brazil 2014, keeps its hopes alive of advancing as one of the eight best third-placed teams in the tournament—the new format of 48 teams allows for this. To do so, it will have to face Austria on June 27 at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, in what will be the decisive match of the final day of Group J.
Filed under: