Late drama sends Austria and Algeria into World Cup knockouts to break Iran hearts

clash. Photograph: Phil Noble/Reuters Late drama sends Austria and Algeria into World Cup knockouts to break Iran hearts Before a ball was kicked, the nicknames for this match were rampant. A biscotto was one – an Italian classic implying something that has to be baked twice; one cooperating with the other. Or maybe you preferred the “Disgrace of Kansas City”, recalling the “Disgrace of Gijón”, a callback to the 1982 World Cup where West Germany settled for a 1-0 win over Austria in a result that qualified both teams for the knockout round while eliminating Algeria. Iran and South Korea miss out on World Cup last 32 in dramatic third-place race Read more But what unfolded here was something else altogether. A new classic of the genre. Call it the “Missouri Compromise”. On a steamy night in the American midwest, Algeria and Austria battled gamely, showing heart and desire for most of the match en route to a back-and-forth 3-3 draw that qualified both teams for the knockout round. It came at the expense of Iran, whose brief jubilation at Riyad Mahrez’s goal in the third minute of added time was abruptly ended by a Sasa Kalajdzic header with practically

the last action of the match. For Austria, this marks the first time they have qualified for the second round of a World Cup since that 1982 tournament. Algeria, meanwhile, return to the knockout stage, having progressed out of the group stage in their last World Cup appearance in 2014. Sasa Kalajdzic profile The stakes for this match were increasingly in question as the third round of group games unfolded, each result making it increasingly obvious that one of the potential downsides of Fifa’s expansion to 48 teams would come to the fore. Because the best eight third-place teams across all groups would be allowed admission to a 32-team knockout round, the potential for a situation like this – where both teams would know going in that a draw would benefit them both – always existed. There were fears for the worst – that the teams might come out for a casual kickabout instead of a high-intensity World Cup match. If that is indeed what happened, the players did a pretty good job of hiding it through the first two-thirds of the match, especially given that this was a characteristically sticky night in Kansas City. The late kick-off, at 9pm

local time, did little to quell the thick humidity even as the sun fully receded. There were occasional, much welcome breezes through the stands, but they were not occasional enough to improve a swamp-like atmosphere. Algeria 3-3 Austria: World Cup 2026 – as it happened Read more From the beginning, it was Algeria who looked like they were running in muck. The Desert Warriors committed numerous silly giveaways, with a disjointed attack never seriously threatening. That went on to hurt them as Austria struck first in the 28th minute through Marko Arnautovic. David Alaba’s pinpoint lofted service from the back found the striker closing down on Algeria goalkeeper Oussama Benbot. The 37-year-old took an awkward touch, then a brilliant one with his tow to nudge the ball past Benbot and into the back of the net. View image in fullscreen Marko Arnautovic slots home Austria’s opener. Photograph: Kylie Graham/IMAGN IMAGES/Reuters For the first of what would become many times in a back-and-forth affair, Austria seemed content with their lead and dropped back, seemingly inviting Algeria to counter. But while they may have foreseen that pressure would come, they could not have predicted the wacky nature of the equaliser. Again, a

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