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6 hours ago
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Key events
GOAL! Jordan 1-1 Algeria (Benbouali 69)
Nadhir Benbouali leaps above the Jordan defenders to head the ball into the back of the net and level the scores in Santa Clara.
68 min Husam Abu Dahab has picked up a yellow card for Jordan.
67 min Abulaila takes matters into his own hands and deals with the second free kick as a strong punch clears the danger.
65 min A free kick deep into the right attacking pocket for Algeria with every player bar the Algeria keeper standing in the final third. Mahrez picks out Maza on the edge of the six-yard box but there must have been a defensive flick on the way through.
64 min Nabil Bentaleb picks out his fellow substitute Nadhir Benbouali outmuscling the Jordan centre-backs inside the penalty area. Benbouali can’t get enough behind his header as the ball takes one bounce and into Abulaila’s gloves.
63 min Jordan look dangerous whenever they get the ball forward with plenty of space to attack into. Noor Al-Rawabdeh blasts a shot from range that flies over the crossbar.
61 min Ibrahim Maza was barely sighted in the first half but has come to life in the second half as he scythes through the midfield and around the right side of the Jordan defence. But the young attacker can’t get his left boot around the shot and the ball drifts wide for a goal kick.
59 min Ali Olwan has been the main danger for Jordan down the right but this time pops up in space on the other side with enough time to pick out Musa Al-Taamari charging into the area. But a desperate lunge is enough to take the ball away for a Jordan throw. The Asian side look just as likely to score as Algeria this half.
57 min Musa Al-Taamari bursts clear and into the penalty area but the chance is closed down before the Jordan can get a shot away. A pair of tough challenges quickly follow that allow Jordan time to set up their defence again.
56 min Jordan are comfortable defending with five at the back to leave Algeria chipping away between the lines without creating much of note.
54 min Algeria finally find a way to pull Jordan out of position just enough to create an opening for Ibrahim Maza to lash a power strike toward the far post. Jordan keeper Abulaila punches clear and Aït-Nouri wastes the rebound as he fires wide.
53 min Algeria search for space between the lines and gaps in the Jordan defence. But anything loose is being pounced on with Jordan desperate to defend their lead.
51 min A free kick for Algeria in a dangerous area and Riyad Mahrez whips in a tempting cross. Jordan keeper Abulaila comes off his line to clear with an emphatic fist.
50 min An early corner for Algeria puts Rafik Belghali in sight of goal but the defender is unable to make anything from the half chance.
48 min A couple of changes for Algeria as coach Vladimir Petkovic looks for a spark as they set out to chase the game. Nabil Bentaleb and Nadhir Benbouali join the action with Hicham Boudaoui and Ramiz Zerrouki making way.
46 min Algeria get the second half under way as they have it all to do with Jordan leading.
Before I head off for my own hydration break, a quick dip into the mailbag …
“For all the praise ITV have [rightly] received here in the UK for their coverage of this WC, their commitment to making it impossible for the colour-blind to know which team is which is incredible,” Ben Goodge is kind enough to relay. “‘What, a tiny, imperceptible slightly coloured line bleeding into a large block of yellow doesn’t help you?’ I’d love to have something more interesting to say, but it’s 4.30 am, this is the 4th game I’ve seen today, and it’s disgustingly hot.
“In defence of the expanded format though, I questioned staying up for this one, but it’s a lot of fun.”
Love the commitment, Ben. Let’s hope the second half can deliver enough to hold your interest. From what we saw from Algeria in the first half, I’m quietly confident it will.
Or if you need a breather from the relentless action on the pitch but are committed to the other unrivalled star of this year’s World Cup, do learn more about Merlin …
Merlin, the pet duck in a mini Mexico shirt who has become a viral sensation and an unofficial mascot of the World Cup, met Mexico’s president on Monday.
The duck waddled on to the stage at the start of Claudia Sheinbaum’s regular morning press conference, took a seat where ministers and officials are usually seen, and unfazed by the occasion, let out a few quacks.
Here is some half-time reading for you with other tales coming out of Group J.
There stood 38-year-old Lionel Messi by the penalty spot, poised for yet another flashbulb moment in a career already overflowing with them. Just a few days removed from his first World Cup hat-trick – one that had thrust him into co-ownership of the all-time tournament goalscoring record – Messi had been gifted an opportunity to notch his 17th goal and stand atop the mountain alone.
Calmly, coolly, he approached the ball. And then he missed the goal entirely.
Algeria had the bulk of possession at 55% to Jordan’s 33% while the remainder was in contest. But Jordan made their time on the ball count for more with 6-4 shots, including 3-2 on target, and crucially the opener to Nizar Al-Rashdan in the 36th minute.
Half-time: Jordan 1-0 Algeria
Jordan take a lead into the break after a goal from Nizar Al-Rashdan.
45+3 min Algeria seem content to hold out for half-time even while trailing by a goal. A sloppy long cross to the left attacking thirds ends in a throw-in for Jordan.
45 min Jordan finishing the first half the stronger as the momentum has swung since the opening goal. A minimum five minutes of added time to come.
44 min Jordan launch another attack that forces Ramiz Zerrouki into a desperate lunge that earns the first yellow card of the game.
42 min Jordan stream forward again for Ali Olwan to pick out one of two white shirts cutting through the defensive line of three. The shot goes straight to the keeper but it looked offside anyway.
40 min Algeria hold on to the ball across their defensive line but with little interest in forcing their way forward.
38 min Algeria set out to respond quickly after falling behind against the run of play.
It was chaos in the penalty area as Algeria failed to clear the danger in several attempts and Jordan lacked the finishing touch to open the scoring until a miscue ended at the feet of Nizar al-Rashdan and Luca Zidane could not get enough behind the save. Hardly an all-time classic finish but Jordan take the lead.
GOAL! Jordan 1-0 Algeria (Nizar Al-Rashdan 36)
Jordan take the lead for the first time in a World Cup match as Nizar Al-Rashdan knocks the ball slightly to the left of Luca Zidane and the Algeria keeper is unable to keep it out of the net.
35 min Algeria shouts go up for a penalty for a challenge on the left side of the area but the referee waves it away.
33 min Mahrez pounces on to another long ball over the defensive line as the Algeria captain times his run perfectly. A brilliant first touch brings the ball down and into his path but a toe poke is blocked just enough to knock the ball out for a corner.
32 min Jordan deliver a long cross from the left side into the penalty area but Algeria are barely blink with a casual clearance.
31 min Jordan continue to look most dangerous when making their way down their right side but are leaving too much space between their midfield and attack to set up anything of note.
29 min An Algeria corner is just far away from Jordan keeper Abulaila to cause him to second guess how to respond. He eventually commits but gets an unconvincing fist to the ball to leave Algeria in attack. Gouiri fires in a shot from the edge of the penalty area but it is straight at Abulaila.
27 min No changes on either side as the game quickly settles into a familiar position – Algeria in command with the ball but Jordan set up to prevent much more.
Rayan Aït-Nouri is receiving further attention and it’s not clear whether he will be right to continue. That would be a huge blow for Algeria to lose the defender this early.
24 min Jordan attack through Ali Olwan down the right as their first World Cup goalscorer (against Austria) takes an early shot. Algeria keeper Luca Zidane collects comfortably with a dive to his right to leave Musa Al-Taamari waving his arms around and calling for a cross rather than speculative attempts from long range. Time to break for fluids.
22 min Jordan play on despite a Algeria player being down as the referee insists there is no need to stop play for what appears to be a shoulder issue.
20 min Riyad Mahrez is through on goal after a sublime ball over the Jordan defensive line. An exquisite first touch opens up the opportunity but the Algeria captain can’t quite get the ball back out from under his feet and it dribbles away toward keeper Yazeed Abulaila.
