Kalajdzic 96th-Minute Header Sends Austria Through as Algeria Also Advance in Stunning Finish

Sasa Kalajdzic headed home in the 96th minute to earn Austria a 3-3 draw with Algeria in Kansas City on Sunday, sending both sides through to the World Cup round of 32 and eliminating Iran in one of the most dramatic finishes of the tournament. 

Algeria's Riyad Mahrez had fired his side 3-2 ahead in the 93rd minute, which at that point would have sent Iran through as one of the best third-placed teams. But Kalajdzic, just 61 seconds after coming off the bench, headed home to snatch a point that made Austria the first team ever to avoid defeat in a World Cup match after falling behind past the 90-minute mark.

Iran are out despite going unbeaten across all three of their group games, having drawn each one. They were denied a winning goal in their final game against Egypt by a VAR offside call on Saturday, and now suffer the cruelest of exits.

Austria face Spain in the last 32 in Los Angeles on Thursday, while Algeria, who finished as the best third-placed team in Group J, take on Switzerland in Vancouver on Friday.

The game was played in the right spirit throughout despite both sides knowing a draw would be enough to send them both through, in stark contrast to the infamous Disgrace of Gijon in 1982, when West Germany and Austria played out a result that suited them both at Algeria's expense. That match has haunted Algerian football for 44 years, adding extra edge to this fixture.

Marko Arnautovic gave Austria the lead when he raced onto David Alaba's ball over the top and scuffed a shot past goalkeeper Oussama Benbot shortly after the first-half hydration break. Algeria hit back before half time through Rafik Belghali, who bundled home after reacting quickest to a ball that bounced back off the corner flag. Marcel Sabitzer restored Austria's lead 10 minutes after the break with a composed side-foot finish from Konrad Laimer's cut-back, before Mahrez equalised within five minutes by turning in at the far post after a sharp run and cross from Houssem Aouar.

The intensity dropped off around the 85th minute, drawing boos from the stands, but exploded back to life in stoppage time. Mahrez capped a lengthy spell of Algerian possession by lashing a low angled shot from the right of the box into the net in the 93rd minute to make it 3-2 and spark joyous scenes among the Algerian supporters. For two minutes and 16 seconds, Algeria appeared to have exacted the sweetest of revenge on the country forever linked to one of their darkest moments in football.

But Kalajdzic had other ideas, rising to meet a cross and nodding home to send the Austrian contingent in Kansas City into raptures and secure Austria's first progress from the group stage of a World Cup since their infamous exit in 1982.

Mahrez, 35, scored his first ever World Cup goals across the two strikes, though the final memory of the night belonged to someone else.