The World Cup group J concluded with a dramatic 3-3 draw between Algeria and Austria, a result that secured passage to the Round of 16 for both sides. Simultaneously, the already confirmed group winner, Argentina, overcame Jordan with a score of 3-1, marking their third consecutive victory.
Austria initially took the lead in the match when Marko Arnautovic netted in the 28th minute following a long pass from David Alaba that bypassed the Algerian defense and found its mark in the far corner. Algerian players responded shortly before halftime, with Rafik Belghali scoring after capitalizing on a corner flag mishap by Mwene, shooting the ball into the near post.
The second half saw Austria regain the advantage; Marcel Sabitzer found the net in the 55th minute after Laimer delivered a ball into the central area from the right flank. However, Algeria remained resilient, with Riyad Mahrez leveling the score in the 60th minute after a perfectly placed assist from Aouar.
The decisive moments came late in the match. In the 93rd minute, Algeria appeared to seal the win thanks to another goal from Mahrez, who capitalized on a pass from Aouar. But Austria refused to surrender, scoring the equalizer in the 96th minute. Sabitzer crossed from the left, Gregoritsch played a header across the box, and Sasa Kalajdzic finished clinically from close range to bring the score to 3-3.
Had they lost, the Austrian team would have been eliminated. Instead, the draw sees them finish second in the group, setting up a knockout match against Spain this Thursday at 9 PM. Argentina, as the group winner, will face the defending champions on Saturday at midnight. Meanwhile, Algeria, finishing third, will continue their campaign against Switzerland on Friday at 5 AM. Jordan, conversely, has been eliminated from the competition.
