Will they make it to the top division?

Kickoff! Austria vs. Algeria LIVE now

(Bild: Sepp Pail)

Final group stage match at the World Cup: The game between Austria and Algeria is underway; we’re reporting live (see live ticker below). The score is currently 0–0.

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Austria’s national soccer team faces a tricky challenge in its final World Cup group stage match. The Austrians need at least one point against Algeria in Kansas City to secure second place and advance to the round of 16. At kickoff, they’ll also know whether—and by what margin—a loss would still be enough to advance as one of the eight best third-place teams. That would allow the ÖFB squad to avoid Spain in the first knockout round.

“It’s no surprise that this final match is all about qualifying for both teams,” explained ÖFB head coach Ralf Rangnick. “We’re prepared for that.” The exact situation will not be known until shortly before kickoff, as the final matches of the penultimate group won’t end until about half an hour beforehand. “It won’t have any impact on the game, though,” Rangnick said.

Rangnick Doesn’t Want to Play for a Draw
Since not only Austria but also Algeria would need only a draw to advance, international media—drawing parallels to the “Shame of Gijón”—fear when Austria and Germany, with their non-aggression pact, knocked out the Algerians of all teams from the 1982 World Cup with a 0–1 score, are already calling this the “Shame of Kansas City.” “We certainly won’t send the team out there and tell them to play for a draw,” Rangnick emphasized. “I don’t know how things will play out with five or ten minutes left.”

Ralf Rangnick(Bild: GEPA)

In his opinion, the events in Gijón no longer have any bearing on what happens in Kansas City. “At the time this game took place, none of the players on either team had even been born yet,” Rangnick recalled. He himself had been 24 years old and, as a player, had just transferred to SSV Ulm, with whom he later earned promotion to the 2. Bundesliga. “That shows that it certainly won’t have anything to do with this game here and its outcome.”

Above all, the Austrians are aiming to advance past the group stage at a World Cup for the first time since 1982. If they finish second, the ÖFB squad would face top favorite Spain on July 2 (9 p.m. CEST) in Los Angeles. If they finish third, there are various possibilities. The most likely opponent would be Switzerland in the early hours of July 3 (5 a.m. CEST) in Vancouver. In any case, the preparation time is short.

No Rotation Planned
Rangnick assured that rotating the lineup against Algeria, given the current situation, is “not an option.” Youngster Paul Wanner could thus once again step into the playmaker role in place of the injured Christoph Baumgartner, despite the blow to his calf he suffered in the 0-2 loss to Argentina. The 20-year-old participated in Friday evening’s final training session. According to Rangnick, the yellow cards received by regulars Konrad Laimer, Marcel Sabitzer, and Stefan Posch would also not factor into his lineup decisions.

Konrad Laimer(Bild: GEPA)

If he receives another yellow card, the player in question would be suspended for the first knockout match. “That might have played a role if it had actually been clear beforehand that we’d already qualified. But that’s not the case,” Rangnick explained. “That’s why we’ll approach this game as if everything were on the line. And that is indeed the case.” The possibility of sitting one of the trio out of the game while heading toward qualification cannot be ruled out. “We just can’t pick up any unnecessary yellow cards.”

Another factor is the weather. It has rained heavily in Kansas City over the past few days, and thunderstorms are possible around kickoff. In the event of a thunderstorm, the open-air stadium, which holds 69,045 spectators, would have to be temporarily evacuated. The ÖFB squad is not accustomed to the heat from their training camp and their two previous World Cup matches against Jordan (3–1) and Argentina.

So far, no 0-0 draws under Rangnick
In 47 ÖFB international matches under Rangnick to date, there has not been a single 0-0 draw. In fact, the Austrians have never kept a clean sheet in six matches at the European Championship and World Cup under the German coach. The last time the ÖFB team managed that at a World Cup was in 1982, against Algeria. Back then, the Austrians won 2-0 thanks to goals from Walter Schachner and Hans Krankl. Since then, the Red-White-Red have conceded at least one goal in 11 consecutive World Cup matches.

There is great respect for the Algerians. The two-time Africa Cup of Nations champions (most recently in 2019) have numerous players in top leagues, including Ibrahim Maza, one of the rising stars of the German Bundesliga. “Maza is an absolutely extraordinary player, a real prodigy,” said Baumgartner—who is sidelined with a thigh injury—about the 20-year-old from Bayer Leverkusen.

Algeria’s Ibrahim Maza(Bild: AP/Eakin Howard)

Rangnick added that the Algerians are a “very well-rounded team” that has continued to develop under head coach Vladimir Petkovic, who has been in charge since February 2024. “We know we’re facing a strong opponent who will also challenge us physically.” Algeria would bring “a very good overall package” to the table—not only physically but also tactically. “We expect them to give their best performance—just as we will.”