No ‘disgrace’ as World Cup knock-outs confirmed after ridiculous – and heart-breaking – final group game | OneFootball

Iran were the ultimate losers of an absurd final game of the 2026 World Cup group stage as Austria and Algeria ridiculed calls of collusion.

A 3-3 draw in which both sides led at some stage, knocking the other out at Iran’s expense, kept the qualification permutations live until the final few seconds.

Iran were on course to reach the last 32 of a “disaster” tournament as late as the 95th minute, facing Switzerland as one of the best-placed third-placed teams, but a last-gasp Sasa Kalajdzic sent Austria second in Group J and forced Algeria down into the slot to take on the Swiss instead.

Despite FIFA’s best attempts at ruining this early part of the tournament by using head-to-head records rather than goal difference as the first tiebreaker, the very last game of the group stage was dripping with narrative.

Austria and Algeria were level on points in Group J, both having lost to Argentina and beaten Jordan ahead of a clash to settle who would make it through to the knock-outs.

It was common knowledge that a draw would result in both making it, with the Disgrace of Gijon at the 1982 World Cup frequently cited in the build up.

Back then, it was Austria who played out a farcical 1-0 defeat to West Germany which meant both nations advanced, Algeria were eliminated, and FIFA were forced to revise future tournaments to make all final group games kick off at the same time.

But there was never any real sense that either side wished to echo the shame of that game, with Marko Arnautovic opening the scoring within half an hour after being played through by David Alaba.

It wasn’t until the stroke of half time that Algeria mustered a response – and it arrived in the most bizarre of circumstances as a long ball hit the corner flag without going out of play, eventually resulting in Rafik Belghali dribbling into the area and finishing emphatically.

Still neither side wished to settle for a result which confirmed safe passage for both, as Marcel Sabitzer and Riyad Mahrez traded goals within five minutes of one another around the hour mark of an increasingly frenetic game.

Two minutes into stoppage time, Mahrez put Algeria into the lead for the first time – and Iran into the last 32, with Austria knocked out – when Houssem Aouar found him with an excellent through ball.

But Kalajdzic rescued Austria, shattered Iran’s dream and spared the blushes of co-hosts the United States, scoring within seconds of coming on as a substitute to round out a preposterous match.

Confirmed World Cup last-32 matches