Austria and Algeria were the last two teams to qualify for the round of 32 in the ongoing 2026 FIFA World Cup, co-hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico.
Both teams played out a 3-3 draw in their final Group J match at GEHA Field in Kansas City, Missouri, cancelling out each other’s goals to settle for a point apiece.
Austria’s Marco Arnautović scored first in the 28th minute but Algeria’s Rafik Belghali equalised in the 45th minute. In the second half, Marcel Sabitzer restored Austria’s lead in the 55th minute but Riyad Mahrez levelled the score in the 60th minute.
Mahrez scored again to complete his brace in the 93rd minute and put Algeria ahead for the first time in the match. However, Saša Kalajdžić scored in the 96th minute to deny the African side victory.
Both teams finished the group with four points each, but Austria secured second place on superior goal difference, while Algeria qualified as one of the best third-placed teams.
The result ensured that nine of the 10 African teams at the tournament qualified for the knockout stage. Tunisia were the only African team to be eliminated.
In the group’s other final fixture, Argentina, who had already qualified for the knockout stage before Sunday’s match, defeated Jordan 3-1 at AT&T Stadium in Texas to top the group with nine points. Jordan had already been eliminated before the match.