Dugout Discussion

Jordan v Algeria team news: Ait-Nouri + Mahrez start

23 June 2026 68 comments
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After suffering round 1 defeats, both Jordan and Algeria are battling to stay in the competition.

Argentina sealed top spot in the group earlier on thanks to a 2-0 win over second-placed Austria.

Algeria should have the edge in this one, 29th in the FIFA rankings with Jordan in 68th. Certainly Algeria have the greater World Cup experience, this being their fifth appearance in FIFA’s showpiece competition while Jordan are making their debut.

Kick-off in San Francisco is at 04:00 BST.

TEAM NEWS

Former Manchester City player Riyad Mahrez ($6.5m) makes his first start at this year’s World Cup having come on as a sub in the defeat to Argentina.

He’s joined in the starting line-up by current Man City player Rayan Ait-Nouri ($4.9m).

Budget-friendly forward Ali Olwan ($4.2m) scored in the 3-1 reverse to Austria, adding to the nine goals he bagged during qualification.

And with the real Messi inspiring his country to back-to-back victories, the ‘Jordanian Messi’ – aka Mousa Al-Tamari ($5.6m) – could prove equally pivotal to Jordan’s own modest ambitions.

LINE-UPS

Jordan XI: Yazeed Abulaila, Abdallah Nasib, Yazan Al-Arab, Husam Abu Dahab, Ehsan Haddad, Nizar Al-Rashdan, Noor Al-Rawabdeh, Mohannad Abu Taha, Mahmoud Al-Mardi, Ali Olwan, Mousa Tamari

Subs: N. Bani Attiah, A. Al Fakhouri, M. Abu Hasheesh, A. Jamous, M. Abu Zraiq, O. Fakhoury, R. Ayed, I. Sa’deh, M. Abu Al Nadi, S. Obaid, M. Taha, S. Al Rosan, A. Al Azaizeh, M. Al Daoud, A. Badawi

Algeria XI: Luca Zidane, Rafik Belghali, Aïssa Mandi, Ramy Bensebaini, Rayan Aït-Nouri, Hicham Boudaoui, Ramiz Zerrouki, Ibrahim Maza, Riyad Mahrez, Amine Gouiri, Farès Chaïbi

Subs: M. Mastil, O. Benbot, A. Abada, M. Tougai, Z. Belaid, H. Aouar, A. Hadj Moussa, A. Benbouali, J. Hadjam, N. Bentaleb, A. Boulbina, Y. Titraoui, F. Ghedjemis, S. Chergui

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68 Comments Login to Post a Comment
  1. sunzip14
    4 months, 1 day ago

    Any predictions?

    Algeria 2-1 Jordan for me.

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    1. TopMarx
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • Has Moderation Rights
      4 months, 1 day ago

      I think Algeria win this... 4-0!

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      1. TopMarx
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • Has Moderation Rights
        4 months, 1 day ago

        no prizes for me then

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    2. PartyTime
      4 months, 1 day ago

      Spot on!

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  2. Sarkha Sam
    4 months, 1 day ago

    Argentina has not sealed the top spot yet. If Jordan beats Algeria and then beats Argentina, they will be in the top spot due to head to head result....

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    1. TopMarx
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • Has Moderation Rights
      4 months, 23 hours ago

      good point

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    2. THE CON MAN
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      4 months, 19 hours ago

      They have now.

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  3. Sarkha Sam
    4 months, 1 day ago

    unless Jordan beats Argentina but Austria beats Algeria, then top spot determined by goal difference...

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  4. FOREST FOREVER 2
    4 months, 1 day ago

    I have been impressed by the Jordan team, Even in their defeat against Austria, they tried to play proper football.

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  5. FOREST FOREVER 2
    4 months, 1 day ago

    Africans team except Morocco not too impressive.

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    1. PartyTime
      4 months, 1 day ago

      Unless DR Congo & Cape Verde ain't African teams

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  6. Holmes
    4 months, 1 day ago

    To Kane or not to Kane is the question...

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    1. SpaceCadet
      4 months, 1 day ago

      Who do you have it on now?

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      1. Holmes
        4 months, 1 day ago

        Captaincy is locked on Messi but Kane is on bench. Lowest score that I can sub out is 7

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        1. SpaceCadet
          4 months, 1 day ago

          I would.

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  7. SpaceCadet
    4 months, 1 day ago

    Thoughts on these moves for a hit? coufal neto mbappe > doue mane gakpo. Plan to play12th man on salah/ diomande.

    bounou shobeir
    hernandez cubarise stones santos coufal
    vini olise kdb neto siabari
    mbappe kane oyarzabal.

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    1. Holmes
      4 months, 1 day ago

      Is Stones nailed? You can probably drop him over Coufal. Prefer Sarr over Mane.

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      1. SpaceCadet
        4 months, 1 day ago

        Think he's nailed. Sarr is a good shout. Worth a double hit to get in sarr doue gakpo and vvd? Could play 12th man on salah

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        1. Holmes
          4 months, 1 day ago

          I'm not so sure on Netherland keeping a cleanie, Gakpo is okay. Argentina defender?

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          1. SpaceCadet
            4 months, 1 day ago

            Could work, or maybe Hakimi.

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      2. SpaceCadet
        4 months, 23 hours ago

        Actually I'm not so sure now, some precited line ups have Guehi and Konsa starting. Fml, Hernandez and now Stones.

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        1. Holmes
          4 months, 23 hours ago

          Yeah, you would expect Guehi to start.

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    2. PartyTime
      4 months, 1 day ago

      Hernardez over Upa killed me

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      1. SpaceCadet
        4 months, 1 day ago

        Same, at least i can sub in stones now. Also gives Hernandez a decent chance to start the next game.

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  8. SpaceCadet
    4 months, 1 day ago

    How's everyone's MD2 score looking? On 99 with neto, stones and kane to go.

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    1. Holmes
      4 months, 1 day ago

      112 (or 105+ Kane)

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    2. Mozumbus
      4 months, 1 day ago

      88-3=85 with Bruno, Munoz, and Rodriguez to go
      Expecting 20 points to keep the hopes alive

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    3. GreennRed
      4 months, 23 hours ago

      93 + Bruno + Diaz.

      How can we get team URL to share?

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    4. JBG
      4 months, 22 hours ago

      93pts + Neto + Kane + N.Mendes

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      1. JBG
        4 months, 22 hours ago

        95*

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    5. Haa-lala-land
      4 months, 22 hours ago

      44 points, but still have (c) to play, so add an extra 2 or 4 to my total

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    6. Kroenius
      4 months, 22 hours ago

      On 96 with Bruno,Kane & Diaz to go.

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  9. Mozumbus
    4 months, 23 hours ago

    Best defender for MD3, budget 3.9m
    Already got Coufal
    Considering Chadi Riad from Morocco

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    1. Holmes
      4 months, 23 hours ago

      Doue

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      1. Mozumbus
        4 months, 23 hours ago

        Thanks
        Thought about him
        Didn't start against Germany though

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    2. SpaceCadet
      4 months, 23 hours ago

      Good option

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  10. fenixri
    4 months, 23 hours ago

    Use wc now and attack md3 or save it later for knockout upsets?

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    1. Mozumbus
      4 months, 23 hours ago

      I'm keeping it for round of 16
      Got 3 FTs and decent squad, if not great
      MD3 is full uncertainties so this is one factor
      Secondly, keeping it for round of 16 gives my more flexibility for round of 32
      But I think the consensus here is to use it in MD3
      I might use MaxC in MD3, not sure though with Messi in my team and hungry for goals

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      1. GreennRed
        4 months, 23 hours ago

        Will Messi play? He's hungry for goals but will put the team's interest above personal records.

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        1. Mozumbus
          4 months, 22 hours ago

          I think he'll start
          The whole team revolves around him, so they might want to keep the momentum going
          Jordan is a week opponent
          They might try to get some early goals/assists from him and then get him subbed early
          Although, I've not researched their strategy as such, played parts of their two games so far

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    2. GreennRed
      4 months, 23 hours ago

      I'm keeping. Bit of a waste if you have WC next. Different story if it was Freehit.

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    3. Haa-lala-land
      4 months, 22 hours ago

      Im probably wrong, but should we be using the qualification booster chip this round, so we can get players that are already top of their group

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      1. GreennRed
        4 months, 22 hours ago

        Good thinking!

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      2. Holmes
        4 months, 22 hours ago

        you cant use it till KO starts

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      3. Haa-lala-land
        4 months, 22 hours ago

        Scratch that. The rules say it can only be used after the group stage:

        The Qualification Booster can be activated from the Round of 32 onwards. When activated, it grants +2 points to any player in your starting XI who progresses to the next round of the knockout stage or wins the final. To be eligible for the bonus, the player must play at least 1 minute in the match.

        If your captain is eligible for the qualification bonus, their +2 points won't be doubled.

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      4. THE CON MAN
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        4 months, 19 hours ago

        You can't use it this round

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  11. Tripswich
    4 months, 21 hours ago

    Heads up for some folks Ismaili Sarr is classified as a forward.

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    1. Tripswich
      4 months, 21 hours ago

      Ndiaye too.

      FFS!

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  12. boc610
    4 months, 21 hours ago

    Ronaldo blank today and I reckon his incel fans go on a rampage.

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    1. JBG
      4 months, 21 hours ago

      Watch him get benched

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      1. boc610
        4 months, 21 hours ago

        martinez doesnt have the cahonies

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      2. Kroenius
        4 months, 20 hours ago

        By Roberto Martinez. No chance,that men clings on to his washed stars way too long.

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    2. x.jim.x
      4 months, 21 hours ago

      Nah they’ll just spend a week blaming Bruno again

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      1. The Knights Template
        4 months, 21 hours ago

        They’ll just rewatch Buzz Kulik’s 1974 masterpiece ‘Bad Ronaldo’!

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        1. The Knights Template
          4 months, 20 hours ago

          This is possibly the greatest witticism I’ve uttered on FFS, and it has fallen on deaf ears! It has gone over all in the Kingdom’s heads, because of age I guess. But it has made me laugh, it is a triumph!

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  13. SpaceCadet
    4 months, 20 hours ago

    Sell one for gakpo.

    a. kane
    b. mbappe

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    1. The Knights Template
      4 months, 20 hours ago

      I refer you to mine witticism above!

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    2. Tomsk
      4 months, 20 hours ago

      In the last World Cup France won both their opening group games and Deschamps changed nearly his whole team for the final group game so don’t think Mbappe will start (I’m often wrong though)

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  14. spipo
    4 months, 20 hours ago

    HELLO WHAT ABOUT ROUND 3 ?

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    1. Holmes
      4 months, 20 hours ago

      HELLO

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  15. spipo
    4 months, 20 hours ago

    SUGGEST SOME SQUAD FOR ROUND 3 ?

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    1. TorresMagic™
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • Has Moderation Rights
      4 months, 20 hours ago

      Hello Spipo, can you please stop posting in CAPS.

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      1. The Knights Template
        4 months, 19 hours ago

        Surely you appreciate mine clever witticism above TM? You’re mine age or thereabouts!

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        1. TorresMagic™
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • Has Moderation Rights
          4 months, 19 hours ago

          You have me covered by quite a bit, went over my head.

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          1. The Knights Template
            4 months, 19 hours ago

            Ok, for your eyes only! Buzz Kulik’s film was entitled ‘Bad Ronald’, basically about an incel who lived in between the walls of an old house spying on the young female inhabitants. It was an execrable film and certainly not recommended! I have linked the original poster’s reference to incels and Ronaldo perfectly by renaming the movie ‘Bad Ronaldo’! I placed the witticism responding to x.Jim.x because I feel, he, like you, is of the same vintage as me and he usually can be relied on for a response, even when he is cranky!

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            1. TorresMagic™
              • Fantasy Football Scout Member
              • Has Moderation Rights
              4 months, 19 hours ago

              Learn something new every 2nd day, thanks.

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            2. x.jim.x
              4 months, 18 hours ago

              Tis a very niche reference indeed and I have placed it on my watchlist. I fear you are slightly more seasoned than I however (this film came out not long after my parents were born...)

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