Algeria v Austria: World Cup 2026 – live | Algeria football team

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Algeria v Austria: World Cup 2026 – live | Algeria football team

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Key events

GOAL! Algeria 1-2 Austria (Sabitzer, 54)

Austria are back in the lead after a brutal counter-attack!

54 mins: After a few minutes of easy passes back and forth between Algeria’s centre-backs, they finally find an avenue down the left wing. A nice in-field pass finds Maza near the top of the box, who tries a tricky turn and is clattered into the grass by two Austrian defenders, but the referee waves him up as the ball is cleared.

51 mins: The energy we saw closing the first half has all but drained away here in the second. Perhaps both teams have been told during the half-time break that a draw suits them both, as neither are really committing to any forward movements. Algeria’s right centre-back Mandi has just screamed at a team-mate for an overhit pass that gave a throw away to Austria. Those are the silly mistakes they can’t afford to make.

50 mins: An enormous cross-field switch from Austria’s right-back Posch aims for Mwene, who’d overlapped down the left, but it’s just too long and misses his outstretched leg.

48 mins: Austria have a brief moment down the left after a give-away. Three players form a neat triangle near the top corner of Algeria’s penalty area, moving it around neatly. But a poor cross into the box, not really aiming for anyone, is hoofed away.

47 mins: Algeria are on the ball early in the second half, moving it back and forth between their centre-backs, trying to find channels on either side. No rushing here, understandably. They need a draw at a minimum to progress to the next round, so won’t want to be doing anything silly.

Second half kick-off!

It’s 1-1. Will it stay that way?

David Alaba has seen things, man. Photograph: Alex Pantling/FIFA/Getty ImagesShare

Updated at 23.17 EDT

Austria make a trio of changes at the break: Michael Gregoritsch, Florian Grillitsch, and Paul Wanner are on for Schlager, Arnautovic, and Schmid.

While we’re praising performances, Peter has written in with an unlikely contender: “That was an excellent assist by the corner flag for Algeria’s goal! Sumptuous touch for a rigid piece of plastic and metal!”

An important secondary assist for Corner Flag.

It’s been a super fun first 45 minutes between Algeria and Austria.

Many of us feared a safe, conservative approach from both sides given a draw will see them both progress to the knock-outs, but instead we’ve seen two teams who are really going for it.

The stats from the first half show us as much:

Possession: 57% (Algeria) to 43% (Austria).
Shots: 7 v 6.
Shots on target: 2 v 2.
xG: 0.66 v 0.63.
Corners: 0 v 2.
Passes completed: 273 v 210.

Elsewhere, Argentina head into half-time still 2-0 ahead of Jordan.

You can follow that liveblog here if you’d like:

Some praise from Joshua here for Austrian goal-scorer Marko Arnautovic, who has popped up at a few key moments today but is certainly looking a gear slower than what he was in his prime Premier League days:

“I’m a Stoke City fan and we had Arnautovic for a few years. I can’t help but love him. He’s definitely a “character” and can be kind of a jerk, but he is absolutely capable of magic at times.”

Half-time: Algeria 1-1 Austria

Whew! What an end to that half! At this stage, both sides are progressing to the round of 32.

45+1 mins: Austria try to bounce back immediately, with a corner floated deep and headed back in towards Arnautovic. He sticks a foot into the air to try and catch it, but Benbot makes a flying punch to send the ball upfield.

45 mins: 4 minutes of added time.

GOAL! Algeria 1-1 Austria (Belghali, 45)

Algeria have equalised after the ball bizarrely bounces off the corner flag, allowing Riyad Mahrez to pounce and find the right-back Rafik Belghali, who dinks and feints past two Austrian defenders before rifling it into the roof of the net.

Rafik Belghali equalises for Algeria! Photograph: Charlotte Wilson/Getty Images Photograph: Phil Noble/Reuters Photograph: Alex Pantling/FIFA/Getty ImagesShare

Updated at 22.58 EDT

44 mins: So close for Algeria! A gorgeous curling ball comes in from the right towards Maza, who’d ghosted in behind centre-back Lienhart. It’s headed poorly away, deflecting off Mahrez and back into Maza’s path, who turns on a dime and shoots, but the keeper makes a great smothering save.

42 mins: It’s Mahrez’s turn to shoot now, with Algeria recycling the ball quickly around the top of Austria’s penalty area. It falls to the winger who watches three red shirts coalesce in front of him, but has a go anyway, cracking the ball into the torso of a defender before being cleared upfield.

41 mins: Austria come down the other end to try and double their lead, with an almost-perfect chipped past searching for Arnautovic near the six-yard line, but a desperate white leg is flung backwards to toe it away.

40 mins: So close for Algeria! A wonderful move down the right with Mahrez performing two step-overs before squaring for Chaibi, who opens his body near the top of the D and unleashes a venomous shot low and hard towards the front post. Schlager dives to his left desperately, but the ball cannons back off the base of the post and is cleared.

38 mins: A rehearsed short corner from Austria goes badly wrong, with Alaba passing the ball straight to an Algerian defender near the top of the box. It ricochets off his shin and into the path of a red shirt, who volleys it into the stand. Goal kick.

Updated at 22.40 EDT

36 mins: The brilliant Ibrahim Maza takes the game on himself, slaloming through three Austrian defenders down the left side of the penalty area. His angle grows narrower and narrower with every step, though, and he thwacks his shot into the side netting.

Ibrahim Maza is causing problems for the Austrian defence. Photograph: Charlotte Wilson/Getty ImagesShare

Updated at 22.41 EDT

35 mins: As it stands, Algeria will be out of this World Cup on goal difference, with Iran taking the final third-placed spot. They need a draw at the very least to progress.

34 mins: Riyad Mahrez tries to send Algeria away after Sabitzer missed a tackle. The former Manchester City star dribbles in-field and tries a step-over, but trips over the ball and gives it away.

32 mins: Algeria are down the other end now, with Chaibi latching onto a lovely first touch from the right and taking two steps into the top corner of the box before fizzing his low shot just wide of the far post.

31 mins: Austria have the wind in their sails now. Konrad Laimer tears down the right side and cuts into the box, sending a flat square pass along the six-yard line that’s just cut out by Benbot.

29 mins: Arnautovic is at it again, bending his run between the two centre-backs to try and latch onto yet another long ball, this time from the right side of midfield. But he’s leaned slightly too far and is called offside as he sends his shot wide of the far post.

28 mins: David Alaba sends a long, direct ball over the top of the entire field and into Arnautovic’s path, who snuck in behind Algeria’s centre-backs. The ball bounces once into the box, with the 37-year-old hesitating slightly before poking a toe at it, curling the ball around the onrushing keeper.

GOAL! Algeria 0-1 Austria (Arnautovic, 28)

The veteran striker gives Austria the lead!

Marko Arnautovic scores for Austria! Photograph: Michael Steele/Getty Images Photograph: François Nel/Getty Images Photograph: Maja Hitij/FIFA/Getty ImagesShare

Updated at 22.35 EDT

27 mins: We’re back on with Algeria’s Chaibi sending a bending deep cross bouncing past Austria’s far post.

Arief also asks about the third-placed permutations: “Why has Senegal confirmed in last-32? Would they (and Iran) be eliminated if Algeria and Austria both draw today??”

Senegal’s goal difference has saved them here, I believe. If Algeria draw with Austria today, the only team that’ll be bumped out of the third-placed teams will be Iran.

On that note, Peter from Kansas City has written in:

“As Algeria and Austria kick off here at 9PM local time, it is brutally humid and hot. The humidity is around 80%, which makes the overall atmosphere incredibly difficult. Despite the late kickoff time, this is one match where the hydration break will definitely be appreciated.

“As for the match itself, put me down for an Algeria win. The Algerian team has been incredibly warmly embraced by the town of Lawrence, Kansas (about an hour west of Arrowhead Stadium), where they have their base camp. In local interviews, the team seems really fired up because of this unexpected support. Oh, and the chance at revenge after 1982 is not a bad motivator either.”

There’s supposedly an extreme heat warning for the next week in Missouri, so these mid-half drinks breaks may actually serve their real purpose going forward.

22 mins: Austria with some sustained possession now, slowly creeping up the field. Algeria bunker into their penalty area to keep their opponents wide, forcing them back to their centre-backs, who horse-shoe the ball around. Aaaaaand the first hydration break is called.

20 mins: In today’s other match, Argentina have taken the lead against Jordan through a Giovani Lo Celso free kick.