Algeria and Austria serve up a wild 3-3 with a Mahrez brace as both go through
Arnautović and Sabitzer put Austria ahead, a Riyad Mahrez brace turned it around for Algeria and Kalajdžić levelled in the 90+6; both advance at the 2026 World Cup.
Algeria and Austria served up a spectacular 3-3 at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, one of the US venues for the 2026 World Cup holding 69,045 spectators and renowned as one of the loudest stadiums in the country, to close the third round of Group J. The draw came at this 48-team World Cup staged by the United States, Mexico and Canada.
Austria went ahead in the 28th minute, when Marko Arnautović beat the Algerian goalkeeper from a David Alaba pass. Algeria responded before the break: in the 45th, Reda Belghali levelled for Vladimir Petković's side. After the restart, in the 55th minute, Marcel Sabitzer put Austria back in front from a Konrad Laimer pass.
Then Riyad Mahrez took over. In the 60th minute, the Algerian captain made it 2-2 from a Houssem Aouar assist, and in stoppage time, in the 90+3, he struck again — once more set up by Aouar — to make it 3-2 and spark wild celebrations. Mahrez, scorer of the brace, was named player of the match.
But the finish had one more twist. In the 90+6 minute, Saša Kalajdžić levelled at three from a Michael Gregoritsch pass to make it a final 3-3. Ralf Rangnick had set Austria up in a 4-2-3-1, mirroring Petković's shape, in a game with a single booking, for Austria's Marko Arnautović (11').
The draw leaves Austria second in Group J on four points and Algeria third on the same four points but with an inferior goal difference, behind a leading Argentina. Both qualify for the round of 32 of the 2026 World Cup: Austria as runners-up and Algeria as one of the eight best third-placed teams.