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Austria may prefer to lose in a potentially controversial final match in Group J of the World Cup.
The 48-team World Cup schedule and route to the knockout stages creates a strange situation.
Argentina have secured top spot in Group J. Austria are currently second, level on points with third-placed Algeria but ahead on goal difference. Jordan is fourth and already eliminated.
The runners-up in Group J will go through to the last-32 and face the winner of Group H – the current European champions and World Cup favourites. spain.
If the third-placed team in Group J is among the eight best-performing third-placed teams, they will advance to the last-32 and face the other group winner.
As things stand, Algeria are lined up to meet USA.
While co-hosts USA have had an impressive tournament so far, there is no doubt that – on paper – world number one-ranked Spain is the tougher opponent. The United States ranks 14th.
Third place opponents in Group J will change, though, depending on where they finish in the third place table.
Algeria may also prefer to lose this match, although a draw would see them third on goal difference.
The situation in Austria and Algeria will be clear at kick-off.
Both teams will know their last-32 opponents depending on the outcome of the match, as the last games in Group J are the last matches of the group stage.
Every other team will be complete when it kicks off at 3am UK time on Sunday 28 June.
Repetition of ‘Jijon disrespect’?
Horst Hrubesch leads West Germany during a 1-0 win over Austria at the 1982 World Cup – a result that suited both teams
This is not the first time Austria has been involved in a potentially controversial final group game at the World Cup.
Infamously, at the 1982 World Cup, West Germany and Austria drew 1–0 for West Germany which saw both sides improve and group opponents Algeria were knocked out.
The match was dubbed the ‘Disgrace of Gijon’ after the Spanish city where it was played, and to avoid a repeat the final group games were led to the arrangement being played simultaneously.
It’s not uncommon, though, for teams to know they can go a more favorable route through the knockouts without winning group games.
At the 2018 World Cup, Gareth Southgate’s England benefited from losing their last group game to Belgium and finishing runners-up in their group.
England faced Colombia and Sweden in the knockouts before losing to Croatia in the semi-finals. Meanwhile, Belgium went on to face Brazil in the quarter-finals, then France in the semi-finals, before beating Japan in the last-16.
