Algeria produced a strong second half comeback to beat Jordan 2-1 on Monday at San Francisco Bay Area Stadium and secure their first victory of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Amine Gouiri struck the decisive goal in the 82nd minute as Algeria overturned a first half deficit and kept their qualification hopes alive. The result also confirmed Jordan’s elimination from the tournament.
Both teams entered the match searching for their first win of the group stage. Jordan had opened their campaign with a 3-1 defeat to Austria, while Algeria suffered a heavy 3-0 loss against Argentina. Although this was their first World Cup meeting, their previous encounter ended in a 1-1 draw during a friendly in Algeria in 2004.
Algeria started brightly and controlled possession throughout the opening stages. They moved the ball with purpose and spent most of the first 10 minutes camped inside Jordan’s half. However, despite their dominance, clear opportunities remained limited.
Jordan nearly punished Algeria’s attacking approach in the 14th minute. Mousa Al Tamari found space after Algeria committed too many players forward, but his long range effort went straight into the hands of goalkeeper Luca Zidane.
Algeria finally tested Yazeed Abulaila on the half hour mark. Amine Gouiri glided across the edge of the penalty area before firing a low shot on target, but the Jordan goalkeeper made a comfortable save.
Three minutes later, Riyad Mahrez came even closer. The Algeria captain timed his run perfectly to beat the offside trap and latch onto a ball over the top. Mahrez poked his effort goalward with his left foot, but Abulaila reacted brilliantly to turn the shot behind for a corner.
Jordan then delivered a sucker punch in the 36th minute. Their game plan worked perfectly as a cutback intended for Mousa Al Tamari slipped through untouched. The loose ball fell kindly to Nizar Al Rashdan, who smashed a powerful finish into the bottom right corner. Luca Zidane got a hand to the strike but could not keep it out as Jordan took a surprise 1-0 lead.
Algeria pushed for an immediate response before the break, but Jordan defended resolutely. Aissa Mandi produced a vital challenge in the 45th minute to stop Mohannad Abu Taha from racing through on goal and potentially doubling Jordan’s advantage.
Jordan carried their 1-0 lead into half time, with Al Rashdan’s strike separating the sides. Meanwhile, frustration was evident among the Algerian players as Riyad Mahrez led an animated discussion while the team headed back out for the second half.
Algeria returned with renewed urgency and quickly took control. Ibrahim Maza continued to influence proceedings in the 55th minute when his effort from the edge of the box forced another save from Abulaila. Gouiri pounced on the rebound but scuffed his follow up well wide.
Jordan maintained a disciplined defensive shape, yet Algeria’s pressure kept building. Substitute Nadhir Benbouali added fresh energy to the attack and nearly equalised in the 65th minute when he met a cross inside the box, though his header lacked power and was easily gathered by Abulaila.
The breakthrough finally arrived in the 69th minute. Benbouali, who had made a huge impact after coming on at half time, rose highest to meet Mahrez’s corner and guided a superb header into the far corner. The goal was only his second for Algeria and brought the North Africans level at 1-1.
Algeria continued to push forward and nearly completed the turnaround in the 80th minute. Substitute Anis Hadj Moussa immediately made his presence felt with a dangerous effort that forced another excellent save from Abulaila before Jordan cleared the resulting corner.
Two minutes later, Algeria found the winner. Another corner caused chaos inside the Jordan penalty area. The initial delivery was flicked on towards the far post, where Gouiri reacted quickest to turn the ball home from close range. Jordan appealed for offside, but after a review, the goal stood because the decisive touch had come off a Jordan player.
Jordan threw everything forward during stoppage time but struggled to change their rhythm after spending so much of the match defending. Algeria stood firm and saw out the closing minutes to secure a vital victory.
The final whistle confirmed a dramatic comeback for Algeria, who recovered from a goal down to claim all three points. Jordan, meanwhile, saw their World Cup journey come to an end. Even a victory against Argentina in their final group match will not be enough to keep their hopes alive due to the head to head tiebreaker. Algeria now head into their final group fixture with renewed belief after a deserved second half performance.
