Algeria Beat Jordan 2-1 to Stay Alive, Set Up Austria Showdown

Late Gouiri goal ends 12-year World Cup win drought  

Jordan took the lead through Nizar Al Rashdan but Algeria’s late pressure told. Two corner-kick headers from Benbouali and Gouiri earned Algeria 3 points and ended Jordan’s maiden World Cup.

Mahrez inspires Algeria comeback as Jordan exit after Argentina looms...

Algeria snatched a late 2-1 win over Jordan in 2026 World Cup Group J at San Francisco Bay Area Stadium, ending a 12-year wait for victory at the tournament and sending the Asian side out on their World Cup debut.

The game exploded out of the blocks. Amine Gouiri tested his range early for Algeria but dragged his shot wide. Jordan knew only a win would keep them alive, and Mousa Tamari tried his luck from distance, only to fire straight at goalkeeper Luca Zidane.

Algeria soon took control and should’ve gone ahead when Riyad Mahrez picked the ball up in a dangerous spot, but he couldn’t get his shot away. Gouiri threatened again before halftime too, only to hit his effort straight at Yazeed Abulaila. The Jordan keeper also denied Mahrez as Algeria started to turn the screw.

Despite Algeria’s pressure, Jordan struck against the run of play about 10 minutes before the break. Tamari looked to have blown it after fluffing Mahmoud Al Mahri’s cross, but Nizar Al Rashdan reacted first and drilled it home.

Algeria needed to avoid back-to-back defeats to stay alive, and they came out sharper after halftime. Ibrahim Maza was first to test Abulaila with a low drive, then dragged the rebound over the bar. Jordan still had bite though, as Noor Al Rawabdeh curled a shot just over the top corner at the other end.

Algeria’s dominance eventually paid off. Just before the second water break, Nadir Benbouali powered home a header from Mahrez’s corner to level it.

With full-time closing in, the Desert Warriors kept pushing and finally went ahead. Gouiri got the decisive touch from yet another corner, though VAR had to check it before the goal stood.

Jordan threw everything forward but couldn’t find a response. Their World Cup debut ends next with a final group game against Lionel Messi’s Argentina.

Even so, Jordan can take pride in how they competed for long stretches of this game. For Algeria, a straight shootout with Austria awaits to decide who finishes second behind Argentina.