Algeria Comeback Win Over Jordan for First World Cup Victory, Mahrez Assist Seals the Deal

In the second round of Group J at the 2026 World Cup, which kicked off at 11:00 a.m. Beijing time on June 23 at Levi's Stadium in California, Jordan and Algeria faced off in a must-win match. Jordan struck first, with Nizar capitalizing on an opportunity to break the deadlock and give his team the lead. Despite Algeria's key player Riyad Mahrez having two clear one-on-one chances in the first half, neither was converted into a goal, and Jordan went into halftime with a 1-0 advantage.

After the break, Algeria noticeably increased their attacking tempo. In the 60th minute, Mahrez delivered a precise pass, and Nadir Benbouali headed the ball into the net to level the score at 1-1. Shortly after, Gouiri scored from a rebound in a goalmouth scramble, helping the "Desert Foxes" take the lead. Ultimately, Algeria came from behind to defeat Jordan 2-1, securing their first win in the group stage.

With this result, Jordan has lost both matches and sits at the bottom of Group J with 0 points due to an inferior goal difference. Algeria, with one win and one loss for 3 points, has moved up to third place in the group, reigniting their hopes of advancing.