Algeria kept their 2026 FIFA World Cup hopes alive with a come-from-behind 2-1 win over debutants Jordan in a Group J encounter in Santa Clara.
Following their 0-3 loss to Lionel Messi’s Argentina in their opener, Algeria bounced back, while Jordan impressed once again, despite succumbing to their second successive loss in this tournament. The result means Argentina are guaranteed to top Group J.
Meanwhile, in a World Cup match that was delayed for over two hours because of thunder and lightning in the Philadelphia area, it was France star Kylian Mbappé who made it rain while the game was being played.
The France star scored twice — once before and once after the weather delay — as the 2018 World Cup champions cruised to an easy 3-0 win against an overmatched Iraq team.
The brace took Mbappé’s total to four goals for this year’s tournament, but perhaps more impressively it put him at 16 career World Cup goals — level with Germany legend Miroslav Klose, whose all-time goals record was equaled and then broken by Lionel Messi over the course of Argentina’s first two games.
However, the Real Madrid star said there was no competition with Messi, and it wasn’t something he usually thought about.
Mbappé also moved ahead of Brazil great Ronaldo, who has 15, with his record sixth multigoal World Cup game.
All-time leader Messi, who scored twice in a win over Austria earlier Monday, now sits alone at 18 with Mbappé 11 years his junior and making his 100th international appearance for France , hot on his heels.
France would now return to Philadelphia to play Germany on July 4, with six points from two games after beating Senegal 3-1 in their opener.
Didier Deschamps’ side is assured of a spot in the knockout rounds, but its group stage finale against Norway will likely decide who tops the group.
(The Whistler)
