Jordan 1-2 Algeria: Mahrez assist sparks comeback to eliminate World Cup debutants

Match is over and the score is Jordan 1-2 Algeria. Here is the full time match report.

Line-ups

Jordan XI: Ehsan Haddad, Yazeed Abulaila, Mahmoud Al-Mardi, Mousa Tamari, Yazan Al-Arab, Noor Al-Rawabdeh, Ali Olwan, Nizar Al-Rashdan, Abdallah Nasib, Mohannad Abu Taha, Husam Abu Dahab

Subs: Rajaei Ayed, Mohammad Al-Dawoud, Noor Bane Ataya, Saleem Obaid, Abdallah Al-Fakhouri, Mohammad Abualnadi, Mohammad Abu Zrayq, Ibrahim Saadeh, Saed Al-Rousan, Mohammad Abu Hasheesh, Amer Jamous, Ali Al-Azaizah, Mohammad Abu Ghoush, Odeh Fakhoury, Anas Badawi

Algeria XI: Mandi, Mahrez, Bensebaini, Luca Zidane, Gouiri, Hicham Boudaoui, Rayan Aït-Nouri, Ramiz Zerrouki, Rafik Belghali, Farès Chaïbi, Ibrahim Maza

Subs: Bentaleb, Aouar, Samir Chergui, Zineddine Belaid, Mohamed Amine Tougai, Jaouen Hadjam, Nadhir Benbouali, Melvin Mastil, Anis Hadj Moussa, Yassine Titraoui, Adil Boulbina, Oussama Benbout, Achref Abada, Farès Ghedjemis

Match Highlight:

https://www.fifa.com/en/watch/6MH3nU83TBWaW2rJyDG7UM

Match Report:

Riyad Mahrez played his part as Algeria came from behind to beat Jordan 2-1 and put themselves in a strong position to progress from Group J.

Algeria were swatted aside by Lionel Messi on matchday one, and were staring down the barrel of another defeat when Nizar Al Rashdan put Jordan ahead in the 36th minute at San Francisco Bay Area Stadium.

But after an even first half, World Cup debutants Jordan were second best after the interval, as Algeria upped the pressure.

Mahrez, having fluffed his lines a couple of times when through on goal in the first half, provided the spark with an excellent corner, delivered onto the head of substitute Nadhir Benbouali in the 69th minute.

Yazeed Abulaila was caught off his line, and Benbouali was able to direct his header into the left-hand corner.

Algeria's comeback was complete in the 82nd minute when Jordan's set-piece defending again let them down, as Amine Gouiri nudged home from point-blank range, with the goal standing after a VAR check for offside.

Seven minutes of stoppage time was not enough for Jordan – now without a win in seven games across all competitions – to turn the tide, as their elimination was confirmed ahead of their MD3 clash against Argentina, who are now confirmed as group winners.

Algeria's historic comeback

In 10 previous World Cup matches in which they conceded the first goal, Algeria had never managed to come from behind to win.

That run is now over, thanks to Algeria's latest World Cup goal scored in regulation time (81 minutes, 40 seconds).

It was going so well for Jordan at half-time. They were ahead through Al Rashdan's fifth international goal, and had created 0.54 xG in the opening 45 minutes, having created chances worth only 0.46 across the entirety of their opening game against Austria.

Yet Algeria dominated the second half, having 69.3% possession, 13 shots to Jordan's two, and accumulating 1.19 xG.

Mahrez, at 35 years and 121 days, became the oldest player to ever start for Algeria in a World Cup match.

This was just his second start at the tournament, with his first having come against Belgium back in 2014, before his rise to superstardom with Leicester City.

Mahrez led the match for chances created (three) and crosses (seven).