Before this match, both teams had suffered defeats in their opening group games, with Jordan losing to Austria (1-3) and Algeria falling to Argentina (0-3). This victory gives Algeria their first points of the group stage and revives their hopes of qualifying, while Jordan must now dig deep to keep believing.

Tactically, Jordan relied on a 3-4-2-1 setup under head coach Jamal Sellami. The defensive trio of Nasib, Al-Arab and Abudahab was supported by a four-man midfield with Al-Rashdan and Noor Al-Rawabdeh as the driving forces. Mousa Tamari, Ali Olwan and Mahmoud Al-Mardi led the attacking unit. It was Nizar Al-Rashdan who opened the scoring after a good cross from Tamari.

Algeria, lined up in a 4-2-3-1 by Vladimir Petkovic, dominated possession (73%) and created numerous chances with an attacking trio of Riyad Mahrez, Farès Chaïbi and Ibrahim Maza supporting Amine Gouiri up front. Goalkeeper Luca Zidane was called into action several times, while the defence featuring Mandi, Bensebaini and Aït-Nouri held firm before Benbouali, introduced at half-time, put Algeria back on track in the 69th minute from a Mahrez assist. In the 82nd minute, Gouiri sealed the Algerian win, completing the Desert Foxes’ comeback.

Jordan seek a response after a strong start

Despite being limited to 27% possession, Jordan showed defensive solidity throughout the first half, capped by Nizar Al-Rashdan’s goal (36th). Goalkeeper Yazeed Abu Laila, who made six saves, was one of the few bright spots for Jordan, keeping out opposition attempts. However, Sellami’s 3-4-2-1 formation struggled against Algeria’s technical control and was unable to hold on to its advantage.

Algeria impose their tempo and earn a vital win

Driven by their control of play and constant pressing, Algeria imposed their style with strong activity in midfield, notably through Ramiz Zerrouki and Hicham Boudaoui. Captain Riyad Mahrez, a key figure, provided the assist that Benbouali converted to equalise. Coach Vladimir Petkovic showed tactical intelligence by making several changes and strengthening his attack. Amine Gouiri’s finish, on his first start, allowed Algeria to turn their efforts into a result in the final half-hour.