KANSAS CITY, June 28 — Austria coach Ralf Rangnick has dismissed claims that his side played out a mutually beneficial draw with Algeria after their dramatic 3-3 World Cup Group J clash yesterday.
KANSAS CITY, June 28 — Austria coach Ralf Rangnick has dismissed claims that his side played out a mutually beneficial draw with Algeria after their dramatic 3-3 World Cup Group J clash yesterday.
The result, which sent both teams into the knockout stage, sparked pre-match speculation of a possible tacit agreement. However, Rangnick said the thrilling finale proved otherwise.
With a draw enough to see Austria finish second in the group and Algeria advance as one of the best third-placed teams, the outcome had been widely discussed beforehand.
Rangnick insisted the match’s chaotic conclusion should put any conspiracy theories to rest.
“In this match, when you have a 3-3, nobody can assume that it was an agreement, especially after what we saw in the last 90 seconds,” the 67-year-old said.
The game swung dramatically in stoppage time, with Algeria captain Riyad Mahrez putting his team 3-2 ahead in the 93rd minute before substitute Sasa Kalajdzic equalised almost with the final touch of the match.
“Three minutes from the end, if someone had predicted this, they would have been called crazy,” Rangnick said.
“I’ve been a coach for about 40 years and I don’t remember a match with such drama and such an unexpected turn of events. Most people expected a 0-0 or 1-1, but it ended 3-3. It’s incredible. The dressing room is chaos. If Alfred Hitchcock had written it, I would have said it was unbelievable.”
He rejected the idea that either team had been content to settle for a draw late on, saying both sides continued to push for a winner even after Algeria briefly led.
“All who watched the last 15 minutes know there was no sign the players wanted a draw,” he said. “Both teams were trying to win.
“Nobody can tell me that in the 93rd minute someone planned to score again. Perhaps one or two players in Algeria might have thought about it, but not the rest of the squad, and not us.”
Austria will next face European champions Spain in the round of 32 in California on July 2.
Rangnick said his team remained full of belief.
“You saw what can happen in the final seconds. Who would have thought, for example, that Turkey would be eliminated after just two matches?
“We are very happy to have progressed from such a difficult group, and finishing second was far from easy.”
He added that he was still struggling to fully comprehend the result, which secured Austria’s first World Cup knockout appearance in 44 years.
“I feel relieved, amazed and happy. I still can’t believe it. It feels like a dream,” he said. — Reuters
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