Algeria came from behind to beat Jordan 2-1 at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara on Monday, eliminating the World Cup debutants from the tournament with a round to spare in Group J. Second-half goals from Nadhir Benbouali and Amine Gouiri overturned Nizar Al-Rashdan’s first-half opener, the first goal Jordan had ever scored at a men’s World Cup. The win was Algeria’s first at the tournament since 2014 and its first ever in the competition after conceding the opening goal.
Riyad Mahrez started his first match of the tournament and wore the captain’s armband for the first time at this level as Vladimir Petkovic’s side bounced back from a 3-0 opening loss to Argentina. Argentina’s 2-0 win over Austria in the group’s other Monday fixture left the holders confirmed in first place, Austria and Algeria level on three points, and Jordan on zero with one game remaining.
How Algeria Came From Behind at Levi’s Stadium
Algeria scored twice from corners in the second half to overturn a one-goal deficit and beat Jordan 2-1 in Santa Clara on Monday evening. The result knocked Jordan out of the tournament after two straight defeats in the side’s first men’s World Cup campaign, and gave Algeria its first win at this level since 2014. It was also the first time Algeria had won a men’s World Cup match after conceding the opening goal; the side had lost seven and drawn two of the previous nine when that happened.
Jordan took the lead in the 36th minute through Al-Rashdan, who collected a loose ball from the right of the penalty area and finished into the bottom corner with the outside of his right foot. It was the first time Jordan had ever led at a men’s World Cup, and it came on the back of a defensive display that kept Algeria at bay in the opening half-hour. Mahrez went closest to an equaliser before the break, breaking behind the Jordan defence only for goalkeeper Yazeed Abulaila to close the angle and divert his effort behind.
The introduction of Benbouali at the interval, alongside Nabil Bentaleb, gave Algeria a more direct attacking shape and changed the match within 24 minutes. Mahrez swung a corner from the right to the near post in the 69th minute and Benbouali rose above his marker to head past Abulaila for Algeria’s first goal of the tournament. Thirteen minutes later, substitute Anis Hadj Moussa delivered another corner that broke to Gouiri inside the six-yard box, and the forward hooked the ball past Abulaila to complete the turnaround in front of 68,371 spectators.
Mahrez’s First Start Earns the Armband
Monday’s match was Mahrez’s first start of the 2026 World Cup, after the former Manchester City forward came off the bench in the 64th minute of Algeria’s 3-0 opening loss to Argentina on June 16. Petkovic handed him the captain’s armband against Jordan, with Aissa Mandi, who had skippered the side in the opener, retaining his place at centre-back but surrendering the captaincy.
Petkovic reshuffled his midfield and forward line from the side that began against Argentina. Ramiz Zerrouki came into the centre of the park in place of Nabil Bentaleb, while Mahrez took the right-forward role previously occupied by Anis Hadj Moussa. Luca Zidane started in goal behind a back four of Rafik Belghali, Mandi, Ramy Bensebaini and Rayan Ait-Nouri, with Ibrahim Maza, Amine Gouiri and Fares Chaibi completing the starting eleven, per the Group J match records showing the full lineups.
Sellami made his own adjustments from the side that lost 3-1 to Austria in the group’s opening fixture. Hossam Abu Al-Dahab replaced Mo Abualnadi at centre-back and Mahmoud Al-Mardi took the left-forward role from Odeh Al-Fakhouri, while Yazeed Abulaila, Ali Olwan and Musa Al-Tamari all retained their starting berths. Olwan had scored Jordan’s first-ever World Cup goal against Austria, and Al-Tamari had helped create both of his side’s goals in the tournament going into Monday.
For both nations, Monday carried weight beyond the result. Jordan was playing only its second World Cup match, having lost 3-1 to Austria in its debut on June 16, and was facing elimination if it lost to Algeria. Algeria, in its fifth World Cup and first since 2014, needed a response after the Argentina defeat to avoid an early exit of its own. Mahrez, still the team’s most recognisable attacking name, carried the new armband into a game his side had to win to stay alive.
The Group J Table After Matchday Two
Argentina’s 2-0 win over Austria at AT&T Stadium in Arlington earlier on Monday confirmed the holders as Group J winners with a round to spare. Three matches remain in the section, with Argentina already through, Jordan already eliminated, and Austria and Algeria level on three points heading into the final matchday.
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Argentina | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | +5 | 6 | Through |
| 2 | Austria | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 3 | In contention |
| 3 | Algeria | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 4 | -2 | 3 | In contention |
| 4 | Jordan | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 5 | -3 | 0 | Eliminated |
Algeria and Austria meet at AT&T Stadium in Arlington on Saturday with second place in Group J on the line, per the Group J schedule, fixtures and standings. A draw or defeat against Austria would leave Algeria dependent on results elsewhere to advance as one of the eight best third-placed teams. A win guarantees Petkovic’s side second place and a knockout tie against the winner of Group H. Jordan finishes its World Cup campaign against Argentina at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City on the same evening.
Benbouali and the Bench That Changed the Match
Petkovic’s first response to a first half in which Jordan grew in confidence was to turn to his bench. He sent on Bentaleb and Benbouali at the break, withdrawing Boudaoui and Zerrouki in a double half-time change, and the move worked within 24 minutes. Mahrez, who had struggled to influence the match in the opening period, swung a corner from the right to the near post where Benbouali rose above his marker and headed past Abulaila for Algeria’s first goal of the tournament. The equaliser shifted the momentum of the match decisively, and Algeria kept the pressure on through the next 13 minutes until Gouiri’s winner. Both Algerian goals came from corners taken in the second half.
We deserved to win this game. It certainly gives us a lot of confidence and belief ahead of our next match.
Algeria coach Vladimir Petkovic, speaking in Santa Clara, said his side’s cleaner second-half display made the difference, per the Algeria’s first World Cup win since 2014 match report.
Jordan coach Jamal Sellami felt the result came down to dead-ball execution rather than open-play gulf. ‘We didn’t see a big gap of difference when it comes to skills, except for the corner kicks and the set pieces,’ Sellami said, noting that both Algerian goals came directly from corners in the second half. He also took pride in a performance that had his side leading at the break in its first World Cup appearance, and pointed to Saturday’s meeting with Argentina as a final chance to take something from the tournament.
Jordan’s Debut Ends at the Group Stage
Jordan exits its first men’s World Cup with two defeats and no points, having conceded five and scored two across its opening two games. The side arrived in North America as the lowest-ranked team in Group J by FIFA rankings, but its performances against both Austria and Algeria suggested Sellami’s squad had not come to make up the numbers.
Against Austria on June 16, Jordan conceded three times at Levi’s Stadium, with goals from Romano Schmid, an own goal by Yazan Al-Arab and a stoppage-time Marko Arnautovic penalty sealing a 3-1 defeat. Ali Olwan had briefly brought the side level at 1-1 in the 50th minute, becoming the first Jordanian scorer at a men’s World Cup. That result left Sellami’s side needing at least a point against Algeria to keep its tournament alive beyond the second match.
Against Algeria, Jordan produced the first half of its tournament, absorbing pressure without conceding before Al-Rashdan’s finish from the right of the area gave Sellami’s side a one-goal cushion at the interval. Musa Al-Tamari, who had been central to Jordan’s best moments against Austria, again looked a threat on the break, helping to create the move that ended with Al-Rashdan’s shot into the bottom corner. The second half was a different story, as Mahrez’s corner delivery and Gouiri’s reactions inside the six-yard box produced two finishes that gave Algeria a 2-1 lead.
Attention now turns to Saturday’s meeting with Argentina at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, a fixture Sellami’s side will approach without fear of further consequence for the section standings. The result will not change Jordan’s place in the table, but it offers a final chance to record a first World Cup point in the program’s history. The Jordanian debut as a national tourism moment has, on the pitch at least, ended earlier than the federation had hoped.
- 2 – Goals scored by Jordan in the tournament
- 5 – Goals conceded by Jordan in two group matches
- 0 – Previous World Cup wins for Algeria after conceding the first goal
- 68,371 – Attendance at Levi’s Stadium on Monday
Olwan, who scored the first of Jordan’s two goals in the tournament, and Al-Tamari, who created both, will carry the side’s attacking hopes into the Argentina match. Sellami’s squad took a one-goal lead into the break on Monday and ended the evening eliminated from the tournament.
What Algeria Still Needs in the Final Group Match
Algeria’s win in Santa Clara keeps the side in the hunt for a place in the round of 32 ahead of Saturday’s final group match against Austria at AT&T Stadium in Arlington. A draw would leave Petkovic’s side level on points with Austria and reliant on other results to advance as one of the eight best third-placed teams. A win guarantees Algeria second place in Group J and a knockout tie against the winner of Group H.
The meeting with Austria carries its own history. Algeria and Austria have met once before at a men’s World Cup, in the group stage of the 1982 tournament in Spain, when Austria won 2-0. Petkovic’s side will start as favourites given Austria’s 2-0 loss to Argentina earlier on Monday, but Algeria has not won consecutive World Cup matches since its 2014 run at this level. ‘The three points are the most important thing,’ Algeria midfielder Ibrahim Maza said after Monday’s win. ‘I think we have more confidence to go to the next game. We will fight even more than today.’
Argentina, already confirmed as Group J winners, takes on Jordan in the same kick-off window on Saturday, a result that will shape only the final standings. Algeria faces Austria at AT&T Stadium, where a win on Saturday would clinch second place in the section and a place in the knockout round.
Frequently Asked Questions
When does Algeria play its next World Cup match?
Algeria takes on Austria at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, on Saturday, June 27, 2026, in the final Group J match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Kick-off is scheduled for 10 p.m. ET.
Who scored Algeria’s goals against Jordan?
Second-half substitute Nadhir Benbouali headed in the equaliser in the 69th minute from a Riyad Mahrez corner, and Amine Gouiri added the winner in the 82nd minute from another corner, delivered by Anis Hadj Moussa, to seal a 2-1 comeback.
When did Jordan make its first men’s World Cup appearance?
Jordan made its World Cup debut in the 2026 FIFA World Cup in North America, with its opening match a 3-1 defeat to Austria at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara on June 16, 2026.
Where was the Jordan vs Algeria World Cup match played?
The match was played at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California, in the San Francisco Bay Area, in front of 68,371 spectators on Monday, June 22, 2026.
Who was the captain of Algeria in the Jordan match?
Riyad Mahrez wore the captain’s armband for the first time at the 2026 World Cup, having come off the bench in the opening loss to Argentina and replacing Aissa Mandi as captain for the must-win match against Jordan.
