Austria coach denies collusion with Algeria after thrilling 3-3 draw that sends both to World Cup knockout stage

Austria coach denies collusion with Algeria after thrilling 3-3 draw that sends both to World Cup knockout stage

Austria manager Ralf Rangnick has dismissed allegations of a prearranged result between his side and Algeria following their dramatic 3-3 stalemate in the final group match of the World Cup, a result that saw both teams advance to the round of 16.

Speaking after the match, the German coach pointed to the wild final moments as clear evidence that no agreement existed, with two goals scored in stoppage time. Algerian captain Riyad Mahrez netted what seemed to be a 93rd-minute winner, only for Austrian substitute Sasa Kalajdzic to equalise almost on the final kick of the game.

“In this match, when the score is 3-3, nobody can assume there was a deal, especially with what we saw in the last 90 seconds,” Rangnick said. “Three minutes from the end, if someone had predicted what would happen, they would have been called crazy.”

The 66-year-old tactician, who has been coaching for around four decades, said he could not recall another game with such a thrilling and unpredictable course. “Most people expected 0-0 or 1-1, and in the end it’s 3-3. It’s incredible. The locker room is in chaos. If Alfred Hitchcock had written such a script, I would probably have said he was completely mad,” he added.

Rangnick stressed that both teams kept playing to win even before Mahrez’s late strike. “Anyone who watched the last 15 minutes knows there was no sign that the players were looking for a draw. I think they wanted to win,” he said. “Nobody can tell me that at the 93rd minute someone suddenly thought, ‘Oh yes, let’s score another goal.’ That might have been the idea of one or two Algerian players, but I don’t believe it was the case for the rest of the team, and certainly not for me.”