Argentina top World Cup Group J, Algeria and Austria advance
Shafaq News- Dallas/ Kansas City
Argentina finished World Cup Group J with three wins after beating Jordan 3-1 on Saturday, while Algeria and Austria drew 3-3 in Kansas City to send both teams into the Round of 32 and eliminate Iran.
Argentina topped the group with nine points. Austria finished second with four, ahead of Algeria on goal difference, while Jordan exited their first World Cup without a point.
Austria will face Spain in the Round of 32, Algeria will meet Switzerland, and Argentina will play Cape Verde.
Jordan vs Argentina
Argentina beat Jordan at Dallas Stadium in Arlington, Texas, closing the group stage with another controlled performance despite heavy rotation.
Lionel Scaloni made nine changes from the side that beat Austria, with Argentina already guaranteed first place. Jordan, already eliminated, were playing the final match of their debut World Cup campaign.
Giovani Lo Celso opened the scoring in the 19th minute, curling a free kick over the wall and into the net. Lautaro Martinez doubled the lead from the penalty spot in the 31st minute after a VAR-reviewed foul, giving Argentina full control before halftime.
Jordan responded after the break through Mousa Al-Taamari, becoming the first team to score against Emiliano Martinez at the 2026 World Cup.
Lionel Messi began on the bench but entered around the hour mark and sealed the win in the 80th minute with a free kick, taking him to 19 World Cup goals and making him the first player to score in seven consecutive World Cup matches, surpassing the six-match runs of Just Fontaine and Jairzinho.
Algeria vs Austria
Algeria and Austria drew 3-3 at Kansas City Stadium in one of the most dramatic matches of the group stage, with two stoppage-time goals changing the knockout picture.
The fixture carried extra history as the first World Cup meeting between the teams since the 1982 “Disgrace of Gijon,” when Austria and West Germany were accused of playing out a mutually beneficial result that eliminated Algeria. This time, the match produced six goals and a chaotic finish.
Austria opened the scoring in the 28th minute through Marko Arnautovic, putting Ralf Rangnick’s side on course for second place. Rafik Belghali equalized before halftime, keeping Algeria in the fight for direct qualification.
Marcel Sabitzer restored Austria’s lead in the 55th minute, but Riyad Mahrez replied five minutes later to make it 2-2.
The draw suited both sides for much of the second half, but Mahrez struck again in stoppage time to put Algeria 3-2 ahead and briefly threaten Austria’s place in the knockouts.
Substitute Sasa Kalajdzic answered in the 96th minute, heading in the equalizer that sent Austria through as runners-up and Algeria through as a best third-placed team.
The late goal eliminated Iran, who had finished third in Group G with three points and were waiting on the final third-place rankings.
The result secured a first World Cup knockout-stage appearance for Austria since 1982, while Algeria returned to the knockouts for the first time since 2014.
