Austria celebrated their return to the World Cup after nearly three decades away by defeating debutants Jordan 3-1 in their opening Group J match, although the final score did not fully reflect how competitive the contest proved to be.
Making their first appearance at the tournament since 1998, Austria were expected to begin with a victory but encountered a determined Jordan side eager to make an impression in the nation’s first-ever World Cup match.
The Austrians enjoyed much of the possession during the opening stages but found it difficult to break down a disciplined Jordan defence.
Their breakthrough eventually arrived in the 21st minute when Romano Schmid produced a moment of quality, finding the net to settle Austrian nerves and hand his side a deserved advantage.
Jordan, however, refused to allow the occasion to overwhelm them and gradually grew into the contest.
The Asian side emerged from the interval with renewed confidence and were rewarded five minutes into the second half when Ali Olwan etched his name into the history books. His finish not only levelled the match at 1-1 but also delivered Jordan’s first goal at a World Cup finals.
The equaliser transformed the atmosphere inside the stadium and briefly raised hopes of a famous result.
Austria struggled to regain control and thought they had restored their lead through veteran forward Marko Arnautovic, only for the effort to be ruled out after a VAR review.
With the match delicately poised entering the final quarter, fortune swung Austria’s way.
A dangerous delivery into the penalty area caused confusion in the Jordan defence and resulted in Yazan Al Arab inadvertently turning the ball into his own net, restoring Austria’s lead with just over 10 minutes remaining.
Jordan continued to push forward in search of another equaliser, but those ambitions were ended in stoppage time.
Following a VAR review, Austria were awarded a penalty and Arnautovic made no mistake from the spot, calmly converting to add a third goal and secure all three points.
The victory gives Austria the ideal start to their World Cup campaign and leaves them level on points with reigning champions Argentina at the top of Group J ahead of their meeting later in the tournament.
Jordan may leave without a point, but there was plenty to encourage them. Their historic first World Cup goal and an energetic display against experienced opposition suggested they are capable of causing problems for the remaining teams in the group.
While Austria celebrated a successful return to football’s biggest stage, Jordan showed enough resilience and ambition to ensure their World Cup story is only just beginning.
