90 crazy seconds… the Austrian coach answers with honest words about the suspicions of betrayal with Algeria.

What did the German coach say about what happened in the Austria-Algeria match?

Austria national team coach Ralf Rangnick dismissed speculation that his side played out a 3-3 draw against Algeria early on Sunday, which qualified both teams for the 2026 World Cup play-offs.

A draw was the only result to send Algeria and Austria into the round of 32, opening the door to controversy that Rangnick scoffed at.

The two teams remained tied (2-2) until the deadlineHowever, in the 90th + 3rd minute, Algerian star Riyad Mahrez scored a goal, and Austria answered in the 90th + 6th minute with the goal of Sasa Kaladzic.

Rangnick said the dramatic finish, which sent both teams into the knockout stages of the World Cup, was indicative of the lack of any agreement.

He added, according to the website.France 24:00“In this game, when the score is 3-3, nobody can assume that it was an arrangement, especially what we saw in the last 90 seconds.”

He continued. “Three minutes left to play. If anyone had said that would happen, I would have told them they were crazy.”

He continued. “I’ve been a coach for almost 40 years, and I don’t remember a single match that had such a dramatic course and such an unexpected path.”

He noted: “Many expected the score to be 0-0 or 1-1, but it turned out to be 3-3. It’s unbelievable. The locker room is going crazy. If Alfred Hitchcock had written a drama like this, I’d say he’s completely insane.”

The German manager played down suggestions that either side had settled for a draw late in the game, noting that the players continued to press for the winner before Mahrez’s goal.

He continued: “Anyone who watched the match in the last fifteen minutes should know that there was no hint that the players were desperate for a draw… I think they wanted to win.”

He added: “No one can tell me that suddenly in the 93rd minute someone will plan and say: “Oh yeah, let’s score another goal!” I think maybe that was the mindset of one or two players in Algeria, but I don’t think that was the case for the rest of the team and not for me.

As for facing Spain in the round of 32, Rangnik explained. “Everything is possible.”

He added: “We are very happy to be in one of the toughest groups ever, and in this group we finished second, and it certainly wasn’t easy.”

He said he was still struggling to digest the result, which marked his side’s first appearance in the knockout stages of the World Cup in 44 years.

He concluded his statements. “I feel relieved, surprised and happy. I still can’t believe it. I need a pinch to wake up from my dream.”

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