Austria Edge Past Jordan 3-1 In World Cup Opener With Late Arnautovic Penalty

Austria opened Group J with a 3-1 victory over World Cup newcomers Jordan, yet the scoreline flattered Ralf Rangnick’s side. The result moved Austria level on three points with Argentina, who beat Algeria 3-0 through Lionel Messi’s hat-trick, in the early group standings at San Francisco Bay Area Stadium.

The match swung repeatedly. Romano Schmid struck first on 21 minutes with a fierce effort. Ali Olwan levelled five minutes after half-time with Jordan’s first World Cup goal. A Yazan Al Arab own goal on 76 minutes restored Austria’s advantage, before Marko Arnautovic’s penalty deep in stoppage time confirmed the win.

Jordan began with confidence, pressing high and moving the ball quickly through midfield. Austria still landed the opening blow when Schmid collected Xaver Schlager’s simple lay-off and powered a shot into the top-right corner from distance, a strike which immediately shifted the tempo and briefly quietened Jordan’s energetic support.

Olwan almost answered straight away, glancing a header against the crossbar as Austria’s defence hesitated. After the interval, Noor Al Rawabdeh released Olwan from inside Jordan’s half with a well-weighted pass into open grass. The Al-Sailiya forward drove into the area and bent a low shot in off the far post to equalise with style.

Austria thought control had been regained in the 67th minute when substitute Arnautovic finished after Yazeed Abulaila misjudged a punch. VAR intervened, however, with replays showing Stefan Posch had handled while forcing the ball towards Arnautovic, and the goal was cancelled, increasing tension inside the stadium for both teams.

The next key moment came from a corner. Marcel Sabitzer’s 76th-minute delivery curved beyond Arnautovic but brushed off the back of Yazan Al Arab and nestled inside the far post. That own goal, harsh on the defender, left Jordan chasing the game and marked a clear turning point after their impressive response earlier.

Austria then secured breathing space in the 12th minute of stoppage time. Arnautovic’s cross struck the arm of Saleem Obaid inside the box, and the referee pointed to the spot. Arnautovic converted from 12 yards, also becoming Austria’s oldest scorer at a FIFA World Cup and adding a personal milestone to the group opener.

Both sides produced similar headline numbers, despite Austria’s two-goal margin. Each team registered 11 attempts, with four on target apiece. Arnautovic’s penalty shifted the expected goals balance, leaving Austria with 1.66 xG compared to Jordan’s 0.53, a gap that underlined Austria’s greater efficiency late in the contest.

Austria vs Jordan World Cup: Debutants impress and historical milestones

This World Cup includes four debutant nations. Curacao briefly drew level with Germany, while Cape Verde held Spain 0-0. Jordan became the third newcomer to feature, with Uzbekistan set to appear against Colombia on Wednesday, continuing a trend of fresh teams challenging more established opponents on the global stage.

Jordan carried attacking belief from AFC qualifying, where the team recorded a national-best 32 goals. That approach was evident before half-time, when Austria and Jordan combined for 33 touches inside the area. Only Germany versus Curacao, with 41 penalty-box touches before the break, has seen more attacking involvement early at this tournament.

Schmid’s opener also carried historical weight for Austria. The midfielder became the first Austria player to score from outside the box at a World Cup since Ivica Vastic did so against Chile in 1998, exactly 26 years earlier. Al Arab’s own goal was the fifth of this World Cup, with only the 2018 and 1998 editions producing more overall.

Austria leave San Francisco Bay Area Stadium with three points but also questions about control and rhythm before meeting Argentina next. Jordan, despite fading after Olwan’s equaliser and Al Arab’s misfortune, showed enough attacking promise to suggest the World Cup debutants can still trouble remaining Group J opponents.