Jordan
AlgeriaThe match turned entirely on the quality of Algeria's substitutions and the superiority of their aerial threat from set pieces — both goals came from Mahrez corners. Jordan ran out of fuel against a team that rotated freshness into the key moments, and Gouiri's 82nd-minute winner was as much a tribute to Algeria's bench depth as it was to the goal-scorer himself. Jordan exit their debut World Cup without a point but with their heads held remarkably high.
Jordan
Jordan gave an extraordinary account of themselves for their first hour at a World Cup, Al Rashdan's opportunistic 35th-minute finish sending the players and their supporters into a state of pure joy. The Asian champions defended with real organisation and belief, and for long stretches it looked as though their debut might produce one of the great upsets of the group stage. The legs, however, tired as Algeria's bench began to tell.
Algeria
Algeria were flat and ineffective in the first half, but fresh substitutes transformed them entirely. Benbouali, arriving from the bench, headed Mahrez's corner into the net to equalise in the 69th minute, and Gouiri settled the contest thirteen minutes later from close range — a goal that survived a VAR offside check. The Fennec Foxes showed patience, and Mahrez reminded everyone that he remains one of the most dangerous deliverers of set pieces in the competition.