Sasa Kalajdzic rose above the Algerian defence to meet a wide cross and head the ball into the net with the last touch of the game. The Austrian substitute’s 95th-minute equaliser snatched a 3-3 draw in Kansas City, keeping his side’s World Cup dream alive and condemning Iran to elimination from the tournament.
Both teams had entered the match needing only a point to guarantee progression to the last 32, raising fears of a cagey affair. Those fears were swiftly extinguished as end-to-end action erupted in the opening stages. Austria struck first in the 27th minute when Marko Arnautovic latched onto a deep through ball and volleyed home.
“Sasa Kalajdzic's 95th-minute header saved Austria's World Cup dream and knocked out Iran.”
Austria’s lead lasted only until first-half stoppage time, when a bizarre equaliser arrived. A ball over the top was headed out of play but bounced off the corner flag, wrong-footing defender Phillipp Mwene. The ball fell to Rafik Belghali, who beat two defenders with a feint and fired left-footed past keeper Alexander Schlager.
Marcel Sabitzer restored Austria’s advantage at the start of the second half with a thunderous strike from the edge of the box. But within minutes, Riyad Mahrez pounced on a cutback from Houssem Aouar to level again. Both sides then appeared content to protect the point that would send them through, until a moment of brilliance in stoppage time.
Precision passing found Mahrez in prime position, and the former Manchester City man duly collected his second goal of the game – a dramatic winner that briefly sent Austria to the brink of elimination. With Iran watching from afar, the Austrians needed a goal to stay in the tournament.
Up stepped Kalajdzic, the Wolves striker, who headed in a wide cross in the final seconds. The goal sent Austrian fans into raptures, secured their place in the last 32, and ended Iran’s hopes of progressing from the group stage.