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Ghosts of Gijon linger as new World Cup format encourages collusion

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Ismail Yuksek of Turkiye and Junior Alonso of Paraguay compete for the ball during the FIFA World Cup 2026 Group D match at San Francisco Bay Area Stadium in Santa Clara, California, on June 19, 2026. [Ahmad Alameen/ AFP]

Algeria have waited 44 years for a shot at World Cup revenge against Austria, but the clash is one of many in the final round of group games where sides could settle for a mutually beneficial outcome.

Austria's 1-0 defeat to West Germany at the 1982 World Cup has lived on in World Cup infamy as "the disgrace of Gijon" after the teams played out a result that would take both through at the expense of Algeria on goal difference.

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