1 hour ago
4
ARTICLE AD BOX
3 min readUpdated: Jun 28, 2026 12:37 PM IST
Austria's players celebrates after Sasa Kalajdzic scored the equaliser during the FIFA World Cup Group J match against Algeria. (AP Photo/Reed Hoffmann)
“I don’t know, we did our best, but the rest is from God. I hope God gives us a little bit of luck,” is what Ramin Rezaeian said in an emotional post-match interview that he gave after Iran’s breathless 1-1 draw against Egypt that left their fate hanging by a thread. On Sunday, that thread snapped, but not before briefly, and rather cruelly, opening a tantalisingly small window through which Iran could see their place in the 2026 FIFA World Cup round of 32 just for a few seconds.
There was only one way for both Algeria and Austria to go through to the round of 32 and that was if the match between them, one of two final group stage games of this World Cup, ended in a draw. Austria went ahead twice in the match and Algeria equalised both times. And then, it looked like both sides had settled. There were even some farcical scenes towards the end of the match with Algeria passing the ball around sedately nearly the centre circle and Austria not even making an attempt at pressing. The term “Disgrace of Gijon” was starting to be muttered.
Then came the fourth minute of stoppage time. Algeria captain Riyad Mahrez slid in behind Austria’s sleeping backline and sent the ball into the bottom corner with his first touch. The shell-shocked Austrians had to suddenly wake up from their slumber and threw the metaphorical kitchen sink at the Algerians. A shot from Philip Lienhart whistled off target. Just before that, Austria had brought on Sasa Kalajdžic in place of Phillipp Mwene.
The substitute did it. The cross came in from the left, Michael Gregoritsch headed it square to Kalajdžic who nodded it home. Cue pandemonium.
How Iran’s race ended
Iran thought they had scored a last second winner against Egypt but it was ruled out by VAR. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)
The only way Austria could go through to the next round was by making sure they didn’t lose to Algeria. A defeat would have sent them to third place in Group J, thus leaving them to compete with other third-placed teams with the best eight of them going through to the round of 32. Austria would’ve finished with just three points, thus keeping them out of the top eight.
However, a draw meant that Austria and Algeria finished fourth. That Austria finished second and went through directly while Algeria went as one of eight best-placed third-place team ended up becoming an academic detail. Algeria had four points and replaced Iran in the top eight.
English (US) ·