Defending champions Argentina have secured their place in the 2026 FIFA World Cup knockout stage after a 2-0 victory over Austria in Matchday 2.
Once again, Lionel Messi was the difference maker. The Argentina captain scored both goals and moved onto 18 World Cup goals. That tally extends his record as the tournament’s all-time leading scorer.
Argentina’s qualification and Group J winner status were confirmed later in the day. Algeria defeated Jordan 2-1, ensuring that neither Austria nor Algeria could catch Lionel Scaloni’s side at the top of the standings.
The other Group J fixture saw Algeria come from behind to beat Jordan 2-1.
Jordan took the lead through Nizar Al-Rashdan in the first half. However, Algeria responded strongly after the break. Goals from Nadhir Benbouali and Amine Gouiri completed the comeback and secured all three points.
The victory moved Algeria level with Austria on three points. Meanwhile, Jordan became the latest team to be eliminated from the tournament after suffering a second consecutive defeat.
With Argentina already confirmed as group winners, their final match against Jordan will have little impact on the standings.
The decisive fixture will be Austria versus Algeria. Both teams remain in contention for a place in the knockout stage and will battle for qualification in the final round of Group J matches.
| Pos | Team | P | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Argentina | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | +5 | 6 |
| 2 | Austria | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 3 |
| 3 | Algeria | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 4 | -2 | 3 |
| 4 | Jordan | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 5 | -3 | 0 |
Source: 1000Goals.com: Football Betting, News, and More - Your Ultimate Destination for Exciting Football Action.
The post World Cup 2026 Group J: Argentina Through, Austria and Algeria Set for Qualification Showdown appeared first on 1000Goals.com: Football Betting, News, and More - Your Ultimate Destination for Exciting Football Action.
