Algeria vs Austria finished 3-3, but the score alone does not quite capture the way Group J flipped in stoppage time. R. Mahrez scored twice and posted a 9.3 rating, including a 90+3 goal that briefly pushed Algeria into second place. Then Saša Kalajdžić arrived almost instantly for Austria, heading in the equaliser in the 96th minute to send both sides into the last 32.

Mahrez and Kalajdžić decided the night

This was Mahrez's game for long stretches. He scored in the 60th minute and again in the 90+3 minute, with both of his shots on target ending up in the net. Algeria's attack did not rest on him alone, either. Houssem Aouar produced 2 goal contributions, which helps explain why Austria never got control of the game for long.

sportsmole.co.uk's line on the night was blunt enough: "Riyad Mahrez was named Player of the Match, and the award was not remotely disputed." The wording is odd as a quote, but the point holds. Mahrez was the clearest difference-maker on the pitch and looked like the player most likely to tilt the group on his own.

For a few minutes, he had done exactly that. Mahrez's second goal sent Algeria second in Group J, a sharp twist given the pre-match focus on how this fixture would be viewed against the old 1982 backdrop.

Then Austria found one last route back. Kalajdžić headed in Michael Gregoritsch's nodded pass in the 90+6 minute, and the detail that really stands out is how little time he needed. He had been on the pitch for 1 minute before scoring. Ralf Rangnick's late change worked because the finish was immediate and simple.

Austria's main attackers kept answering

Austria had already shown enough going forward to stay alive in the game. Marko Arnautović opened the scoring in the 28th minute after David Alaba played him through, and Marcel Sabitzer added their second in the 55th minute from Konrad Laimer's low pass across the edge of the box.

Even without overcomplicating it, that is the clearest reason Austria survived. Their best attacking players kept producing a reply. Arnautović gave them the first lead, Sabitzer restored momentum after the break, and Kalajdžić delivered the final intervention. Algeria had the sharper individual performance in Mahrez, but Austria had enough contributors to avoid being buried by it.

There was support elsewhere too. Rafik Belghali scored for Algeria during the six-goal draw, another reminder that this was not just one star carrying one side while the other scrambled. The game kept opening up because both teams had enough quality in advanced areas to punish the next mistake.

Group J finished with the same score and a different feeling

The verified outcome is straightforward: Austria finished second in Group J, Algeria finished third, and both teams advanced to the last 32. That leaves the wider argument around Iran unresolved because reports on their fate were not aligned, so the useful part here is the table positions this match did settle.

The historical angle never disappeared, though. The game had been framed against the Disgrace of Gijón, when West Germany and Austria played out a 3-3 result that eliminated Algeria in 1982. For a moment after Mahrez scored in the 90+3 minute, there was a neat reversal in sight, with Algeria ahead of Austria in the group standings. Kalajdžić's header wiped that out almost immediately.

What remains is a match that was shaped by late intervention more than by the draw itself. Mahrez produced the best display of the night, Kalajdžić produced the last touch that mattered most, and the 3-3 result sent both Algeria and Austria into the last 32.

FAQ

How did Algeria and Austria both qualify after drawing 3-3?

The 3-3 result in Kansas City sent both teams through from Group J. Austria finished second in the group, while Algeria finished third and still advanced to the last 32 as a qualifying third-placed team.

Why was Riyad Mahrez the standout player against Austria?

Mahrez scored twice, once in the 60th minute and again in the 90+3 minute, and finished with a 9.3 rating. He also put both of his shots on target, which matched the clinical edge Algeria needed in a chaotic game.

Who scored Austria's late equaliser against Algeria?

Saša Kalajdžić scored Austria's equaliser in the 96th minute. He headed in Michael Gregoritsch's nodded pass and needed only 1 minute on the pitch to make the decisive intervention.

Did Iran go out because of Algeria vs Austria?

Reports around Iran's fate have not been consistent, so the safest reading is to stick to what this match confirmed. Algeria and Austria both progressed from Group J after the 3-3 draw, and the late goals decided the final shape of the group places that are verified here.

Written by Sam Whitfield with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 5 outlets. How we work →