Then, however, Algeria still took the lead - in the third minute of injury time! Austria threw everything forward one more time, Michael Gregoritsch set up super-sub Sasa Kalajdzic, equalizer in the 90+6th minute, rescued after all.
Joy among Algerians too
But it wasn't just among the red-white-red fans that the cheering knew no bounds after the surprisingly emotional qualification - but also among those of opponent Algeria. Several videos on social media show Algerian supporters celebrating Austria's equalizer just as much.
The reason for this: Thanks to the draw, Algeria still advanced - but not as group runners-up. As a result, Algeria will not face Spain, but instead has the supposedly easier draw with Switzerland for the round of sixteen.
Algeria's celebration in the video:
Quand des supporters de l’Algerie célèbrent un but de… l’Autriche#ALGAUT #AUTALG pic.twitter.com/XV8S5t4cjX
— Abder Reporter (@abder_reporter) June 28, 2026
🤯
— M (@Mohamed10X21) June 28, 2026
🚨🚨🚨🚨🚨 Absolute madness—today's clip from the World Cup...
— Algeria fans celebrate Austria's third goal to avoid facing Spain. 💀🤯pic.twitter.com/14e4LAZprk