7M - Jordan 1-2 Algeria: Algeria Fight Back To Knock Jordan Out Of World Cup

Algeria mounted a second-half comeback to defeat Jordan 2-1 at the San Francisco Bay Area Stadium in California, securing crucial points in Group J and eliminating the tournament debutants from the 2026 World Cup.

Following a opening matchday defeat to Argentina, Algeria found themselves under early pressure again when Nizar Al Rashdan fired Jordan into a 36th-minute lead with his fifth international goal. Jordan enjoyed a strong first half, producing an expected goals rating of 0.54 before the break, a marked improvement on their attacking performance from their opening fixture against Austria.

However, Algeria seized control after the interval, dominating the second half with 69.3 percent possession and registering 13 shots to Jordan's two. At 35 years and 121 days old, Riyad Mahrez made history as the oldest player to start a World Cup match for Algeria. The former Leicester City winger spearheaded the comeback, creating three chances and delivering seven crosses over the course of the match.

The equalizer arrived in the 69th minute when Mahrez delivered a precise corner onto the head of substitute Nadhir Benbouali, who directed the ball past the misplaced Yazeed Abulaila into the left corner. Algeria completed the turnaround in the 82nd minute as Amine Gouiri bundled the ball home from close range following another set-piece situation, with the goal upheld after a VAR check for offside.

The victory marks the first time in 11 attempts that Algeria have recovered to win a World Cup match after conceding the opening goal. The result confirms Jordan's elimination ahead of their final group stage fixture against group winners Argentina, extending Jordan's winless run to seven matches across all competitions.