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Argentina finished the group stage of Group J at the 2026 World Cup as the clear leader, with nine points and a full set of victories, while A Austria and Algeria battled until the last minute for the other two spots available for the round of sixteen.
The were determined this Saturday with two simultaneous matches: Argentina defeated Jordan 3-1 at the AT&T Stadium in Arlington, and Algeria and Austria played out a dramatic 3-3 draw at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, which proved pivotal for the group's standings.
This is how the table turned out
Argentina finished first with 9 points, eight goals scored and only one against, a difference of +7 that places them among the best first-place teams in the tournament. Austria qualified second with four points because the draw against Algeria allowed them to maintain a goal difference of 0, compared to Algeria's -2.
Algeria, with the same four points as Austria, progresses provisionally as the best third-place team, awaiting the completion of the other groups. Jordan, in its historic debut at a World Cup, bids farewell without earning a single point in three matches.
The match that decided everything
The 3-3 draw between Algeria and Austria was the key moment of the group. With that result, the Austrians surpassed the Algerians on goal difference and secured second place. Had Austria lost, Algeria would have climbed to second place.
The journey through Argentina
The world champion team at Qatar 2022 left no doubts at any moment. On matchday 1, June 16, Lionel Messi scored a hat-trick in the 3-0 victory against Algeria at Arrowhead Stadium. On matchday 2, June 22, Argentina secured their qualification with a 2-0 win against Austria at AT&T Stadium. On matchday 3, Giovani Lo Celso scored from a free kick and Lautaro Martínez converted a penalty to complete the 3-1 win against Jordan.
Who gets in and who stays out
- Argentina (1st): qualified for the Round of 32.
- Austria (2nd): qualified for the round of 32.
- Algeria (3rd): advances as the best third place provisionally, subject to confirmation once all groups are closed.
- Jordan (4th): eliminated with zero points and three losses in its first World Cup participation.
The next crossing from Argentina
Argentina has already confirmed its opponent in the round of 32: it will face Cape Verde as the winner of Group J. Austria also advances to the round of 32, although its specific match-up still depends on the conclusion of other groups. Algeria will learn its possible opponent once it confirms its status as the best third-place team at the end of the group stage of the tournament.
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