Algeria came from behind to beat Jordan 2-1 in FIFA World Cup 2026 , Group J, at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara. In front of 68,371 fans, Jordan led at half-time through Nizar Al-Rashdan’s sharp finish. A second-half surge flipped the match, with Ahmed Nadhir Benbouali equalizing before Amine Gouiri’s VAR-confirmed winner. Slavko Vinčić refereed a game that tilted on control, depth, and a swarm of Algerian pressure after the break.

Jordan strike first, Algeria turn the tide

Jordan’s first half was disciplined and efficient. They took 6 shots to Algeria’s 4 before the interval and made their big moment count on 36 minutes, when Nizar Al-Rashdan finished after Mousa Tamari’s neat assist. Algeria still controlled the ball with 74% first-half possession, but the final touch eluded them. Riyad Mahrez and Ibrahim Maza probed, yet Jordan’s back line stayed compact and cleared their lines when it mattered. It sent the underdogs to half-time up 1-0.

The second half told a different story. Algeria turned up the volume with 13 shots to Jordan’s 2 after the break and piled up 7 corners in that spell. The equalizer came on 69 minutes, Benbouali nodding home from a Mahrez delivery after both had been involved all evening. Then on 82 minutes, Gouiri steered in the winner, with VAR confirming the goal two minutes later. Algeria saw out seven minutes of added time without serious alarm and banked three vital Group J points.

Why the numbers favoured Algeria

This was a possession and territory win. Algeria finished with 72% possession and completed 559 of 638 passes, compared to Jordan’s 180 of 251. Final third entries read 88 to 37, and Algeria ran the “final third phase” at 135/179 (75%) against Jordan’s 35/64 (55%). Touches in the box told the same story, 31 to 14, as did corners at 10 to 1. The volume translated into xG as well, with Algeria at 1.81 to Jordan’s 0.65.

Shot quality leaned green too. Algeria out-shot Jordan 17 to 8, putting 8 on target to 4, and took 11 shots inside the area to Jordan’s 4. They also completed more dribbles, 13/31 (42%) versus 6/22 (27%), helping them break pressure and arrive in better zones. Interceptions were decisive at 10 to 2, a sign of Algeria’s counter-press and reading of second balls. Even with a lower cross accuracy (5/21), Algeria’s relentless entries eventually brought returns. Numbers tell a clear story, and this one pointed to a comeback.

Defensive effort and goalkeeping

Jordan’s plan without the ball was brave and busy. They posted 31 total tackles and 37 clearances, showing how deep they had to defend once Algeria took control. In the air, Jordan actually edged it, winning 17 of 32 aerial duels (53%) against Algeria’s 15 of 33 (45%). Fouls were 11 to 6 in Jordan’s favor, a by-product of breaking up rhythm and contesting second phases. It kept things close until the last 20 minutes.

Yazeed Abu Laila was Jordan’s standout with a Sofascore Rating of 7.7. He made 6 saves, including 3 from inside the box, added 3 punches, and registered one “big save” while preventing an estimated 0.09 goals. His distribution was measured too, with 10 accurate short passes and 7 accurate long balls. Across the pitch, Algeria’s tackling efficiency was higher, winning 72% of tackles (18 of 25) compared to Jordan’s 48% (15 of 31). That mix of control in midfield and cleaner defending around the box nudged the details Algeria’s way.

MVP: Ramy Bensebaini leads from the back

Ramy Bensebaini earned Player of the Match with a Sofascore Rating of 7.8. The Algerian defender did a bit of everything across his 98 touches: 79 passes with 69 completed, 6 tackles with 5 won, and 3 interceptions. He added 7 recoveries, 4 clearances, a last-man tackle, and even blocked a shot during a busy shift. In duels he was authoritative, winning 12 and losing 5, the kind of ratio that swings territory and tempo.

It was not just defending either. Bensebaini carried the ball 30 times and progressed play by 146.9 meters, giving Algeria steady forward thrust from the back. That set the platform for the front line to keep asking questions. Close behind in the ratings were Ahmed Nadhir Benbouali at 7.4 after his equalizer and Amine Gouiri at 7.3 for the late winner. Riyad Mahrez was influential too with 3 key passes and an assist. For Jordan, Abu Laila’s 7.7 underlined just how much work he had to do to keep the game in reach.

Santa Clara notes and what stood out

Levi’s Stadium provided a lively stage, with 5 minutes of first-half stoppage time and 7 more in the second. VAR’s role was brief but crucial in confirming Gouiri’s 82nd-minute strike. Jordan actually crossed more efficiently, completing 2 of 5 (40%) to Algeria’s 5 of 21 (24%), but Algeria’s sheer volume of entries and sustained pressure told in the end. Offsides barely featured, just one against Jordan, as Algeria’s line was careful and compact.

Two yellow cards were shown, both for fouls: Ramiz Zerrouki at 44 minutes and Husam Abudahab at 64. The benches mattered, especially for Algeria, who brought on Nabil Bentaleb and Benbouali at half-time and later injected pace with Anis Hadj Moussa. All told, this was a match defined by control and cumulative pressure. For more granular insights like xG, player heatmaps, and live Sofascore Ratings, fans can dive into the match page on Sofascore, where every duel and carry is tracked in real time.