Algeria trailed at halftime for the first time in this World Cup but rallied in the second half to beat Jordan 2-1 at Levi’s Stadium on Monday. Nabil Benbouali leveled at 69 minutes and Amine Gouiri put the Desert Foxes ahead at 82, overturning Nizar Al-Rashdan’s 36th-minute opener. The win keeps Algeria in contention in a group already dominated by Mexico, who sit top on six points after two games.
Key Moments
- 36′, Jordan take the lead. Nizar Al-Rashdan finishes to give the Jordanians a surprise advantage against the run of play.
- 44′, Ramiz Zerrouki is booked for a foul, and Algeria’s coach takes him off at halftime, replacing him as part of a double substitution at the break.
- 69′, Algeria equalize. Nabil Benbouali finds the net to restore parity after sustained Algerian pressure in the second half.
- 76′, Riyad Mahrez is substituted off as Algeria push for the winner with 14 minutes remaining.
- 82′, Algeria take the lead. Amine Gouiri scores to put the Desert Foxes ahead, his goal coming just four minutes before he is himself withdrawn.
Tactical Breakdown
Algeria dominated possession from kickoff, finishing with 72% of the ball and 638 total passes completed at an 88% accuracy rate. They registered 17 shots in total, 8 on target, and generated 1.81 xG against Jordan’s 0.65. Despite that pressure, they went into halftime behind, Jordan’s goalkeeper making three saves while Yazeed Abu Laila was even busier at the other end with six stops for Jordan.
The turning point came at halftime, when Vladimir Petkovic made a double change. Zerrouki, already booked, was replaced alongside Boudaoui. The alterations shifted the tempo and Algeria pressed higher after the restart, eventually getting the reward through Benbouali’s equalizer 24 minutes into the second half. The Mahrez substitution at 76 minutes freed up space for Gouiri, who converted six minutes later before being taken off himself at 86.
Jordan, set up in a 3-4-2-1 by Jamal Sellami, had defended with discipline in the first half and caught Algeria on the break with Al-Rashdan’s goal. But the Jordanians managed only one corner kick across 90 minutes and were pinned back for long stretches once Algeria found their rhythm. With just 28% possession and 251 passes, the Jordanians simply ran out of ways to relieve pressure as the game wore on.
Player Ratings
Match Context
Verdict
Algeria move to three points but remain behind Mexico, who have already won both their group games, and South Korea on three points. Jordan remain on zero and face a very difficult path to the knockout stage. With Mexico having already clinched six points, the race in this group is effectively for the remaining qualifying spots, and Algeria will need a result in their final group game to secure progression.