24/06/2026

SPORTS WEDNESDAY | JUNE 24, 2026

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2026 WORLD CUP Algeria keep dream alive The Desert Warriors recover from Argentina mauling to show WC promise A LGERIA stormed back to beat Jordan 2-1 and eliminate the World Cup debutants with a match to spare yesterday thanks to second half goals from substitute Nadhir to Argentina. “I don’t know if we showed our true face but we played a better game than against Argentina,” for ward Gouiri said. ons Argentina will go through to the next round as group winners following their 2-0 win over the Austrians earlier yesterday. Tearful Jordan keeper Yazeed Abu Laila said his team were unlucky. “The goals we conceded weren’t really down to

Rangnick questions

Messi strike

AUSTRIA COACH Ralf Rangnick acknowledged Lionel Messi’s scoring greatness after see ing his side lose 2-0 in Dallas yesterday but questioned whether Argentina’s first goal should have been allowed to stand. Messi, who turns 39 this week, netted twice for Lionel Scaloni’s world champions, the first coming in the 38th minute while the clincher was scored in stoppage time to hand the Austrians their first defeat of the group phase. “If someone is 39 years old and can score two goals and five overall at the beginning of the World Cup, that makes a difference,” Rangnick said of Messi, who also missed an early penalty after a VAR review by referee Amin Omar. “We knew he was on a level of his own and Lionel Messi showed he’s one of the best, or even the best. “But I think we participated in the second goal, that’s our own fault. “For the first goal, I would’ve asked the fourth official to do what he did before the penalty kick, he should have looked and he would’ve seen what every one saw, a foul on (Xaver) Schlager. “It was annoying. However, I’m overall satisfied with my team and I agree with how they played today.” Messi’s double moved him clear as the World Cup’s all time leading scorer with 18 goals and Rangnick admitted there was little his side could do to keep the former Barcelona man quiet for the full 90 minutes. “This is Lionel Messi,” said Rangnick. “He doesn’t need many situations to actually decide a match.” Austria had already picked up three points from their 3-1 win over Jordan in their opening match to go into their final group phase clash with Algeria still in con tention for a spot in the knockout rounds. Despite the loss to Argentina, Rangnick was sat isfied with many aspects of his team’s performance at Dallas Stadium. “During every match at a World Cup there are phases where one team has the momentum on their side,” he said. “It was in our favour, they missed the penalty kick and after that we were in the game. “I would’ve asked my play ers to be braver, to shoot during the second half. We were in control of the ball, most people didn’t expect us to be that much in control. “I think in the second half we put in a top perform ance.” – Reuters

“We conceded a goal but we had the mental resil ience and we’re gradually gaining strength, and this match will do us a lot of good.” The victory put Algeria level with Austria on three points in Group J, while ensuring defending champi

Benbouali and Amine Gouiri. Benbouali’s header cancelled out Nizar Al Rashdan’s first half opener and Gouiri poked home in a goalmouth scramble eight minutes from time to revive Algeria’s campaign after their opening 3-0 loss

tactics or anything like that. We had the game under control, but we missed our chances,” he said. “As players, we have to look at the details and take responsibility. “We blame ourselves and apologise to our fans.” Algeria coach Vladimir Petkovic put veteran attacker Riyad Mahrez into his starting 11 after benching him against Argentina, and he proved influential in breaking down a Jordan team that defended in numbers and were quick on the counter. The former Manchester City player delivered the corner for Benbouali’s header and was unlucky not to score in the first half. Jordan went ahead in the 36th minute following clever link-up play and a touch of fortune when Algeria midfielder Ramiz Zerrouki turned the ball over in defence. Mousa Al-Tamari’s shot went sideways to Al Rashdan, who drilled the ball home first-time into the bottom right corner. Surrounded by Jordan defenders, Benbouali rose highest to meet a Mahrez corner and sent a glancing header bouncing into the corner of the net in the 69th minute, with the goal confirmed after a protracted Video Assistant Referee check. Thirteen minutes later substitute Anis Hadj Moussa curled in a corner kick and a deflection off Jordan goalscorer Al-Rashdan allowed a gleeful Gouiri to poke in the winner. For Algeria, it sets the stage for a grudge match against Austria, 44 years after the “Disgrace of Gijon”. Algeria can take a measure of revenge against Austria when they face them in Kansas City on Sunday (10am Malaysian time), while Jordan take on Argentina and superstar Lionel Messi, who has scored all five of their goals at the World Cup so far. – Reuters

Amine Gouiri (right) celebrates after scoring Algeria’s winning goal during the World Cup Group J match against Jordan at San Francisco Bay Area Stadium in California yesterday. – AFPPIC

Maradona and Messi WC exploits have Argentina fans in raptures ARGENTINIAN football fans filling the bars in Buenos Aires yes

Scaloni shrugs at greatness ARGENTINA COACH Lionel Scaloni admitted to being fatigued by the endless questions around the regular performance, he scored again when we are suffering. “The team did suffer

“Messi on the other hand belongs to another genera tion. But I love him!” It is hard to miss images of Messi in Buenos Aires – he adorns the iconic Obelisco de Buenos Aires and in the city of Neuquen, in the province of Patagonia, there is a 26-metre high statue of him. The Argentine fans – often with the national flag draped round their shoulders and wearing the national strip with faces painted – who flocked to the bars and the fan zones took umbrage, just as they did in Maradona’s golden age, with anything that might adversely affect their hero. Such was the case when the “fake news” spread last Friday that Messi’s father, Jorge, had died. That prompted the Messi family to announce that he was indeed ill and receiving medi cal treatment. “Everyone knew but nobody spoke about it,” said high-pro file media personality Yanina Latorre after the news was revealed. “That unsettles the lad, and adds nothing.” Fans said nothing must be allowed to affect Messi’s focus as Argentina try to win back to-back World Cups. – AFP

today, at times they were creating difficulties and we didn’t have possession. We know how to suffer and that’s something praiseworthy as a team. “The team knows how to behave at all times. This was an opponent that had very tall players, that posed a challenge. No one thought this would be easy. The two matches we have had so far have been complex.” Back-to-back wins in Group J have already con firmed Argentina’s progress into the knockout rounds and Scaloni remains confident the defending champions will be contenders at the business end of the tournament. “This World Cup has noth ing to do with playing favour ites or the players in the national teams,” he said. “There are other elements at play, the levels of fitness, the emotional element. “There are so many teams that can win, one of the big ones will win. We will be there, we will be one of the contenders, but it will be hard facing one of these big teams. “But it will be hard for them facing us.” – Reuters

record-breaking feats of Lionel Messi after seeing his captain become the World Cup’s all-time leading scorer yesterday. “When the team was hav ing a rough time without the ball he worked, he man aged to steal the ball,” Scaloni said of his former teammate. “You could see his level of commitment. “There’s a reason for that, he has commitment and this is what he generates. I have no more words to talk about Leo. It makes us a little bit tired talking about him all the time.” Messi suffered one blot on his performance with an eighth-minute penalty miss but when he opened the scoring half an hour later the goal allowed him to move clear of Klose as the World Cup’s most successful striker. Despite only holding a one-goal lead, Argentina were rarely troubled. “It had been complex,” Scaloni said of the challenge presented by Ralf Rangnick’s side. “We had the peace of mind we needed toward the end. I’m so happy with Leo’s

terday were able to celebrate iconic World Cup moments by two vastly different characters – Diego Maradona and Lionel Messi. For the late tortured genius that was Maradona it was the 40th anniversary of his “Hand of God” goal in the 1986 quar terfinal with England, on his way to almost single-handedly winning the trophy for Argentina. For the clean-cut Messi it was another record – his dou ble against Austria at the 2026 tournament yesterday that made him the all-time World Cup goal scorer with 18. Maradona, despite his excesses off the pitch and his failed doping test in the 1994 World Cup, remains a hero to many. It’s fair to say controversy and Messi are not often men tioned in the same breath – reverence for him is confined to his successes on the pitch. “Maradona came from the working classes and brought a lot of happiness to these peo ple who can only dream of certain pleasures others can afford,” Fernando Rollan, 38, told AFP .