SANTA CLARA, California — Austria celebrated its return to the FIFA World Cup after a 28-year absence with a 3-1 victory over tournament debutant Jordan in Group J on Tuesday.
Romano Schmid, an own goal by Yazan Al Arab and a late penalty from veteran Marko Arnautovic secured all three points for the Austrians, who are appearing in their first World Cup since 1998.
Austria controlled much of the opening half and took a deserved lead in the 20th minute when Schmid found the net to put his side in front.
Jordan, making its historic World Cup debut, responded admirably after the break. Ali Olwan etched his name into the nation’s football history by scoring Jordan’s first-ever World Cup goal in the 50th minute to level the match.
The underdogs looked capable of earning a memorable point before misfortune struck in the 76th minute when defender Yazan Al Arab inadvertently turned the ball into his own net, restoring Austria’s advantage.
Jordan pushed forward in search of another equalizer, but Arnautovic sealed the result deep into stoppage time, converting a penalty in the 12th minute of added time.
The victory gives Austria a winning start in Group J and keeps pace with defending champion Argentina at the top of the standings.
For Jordan, despite the defeat, the evening marked a historic milestone as the nation scored its first goal on football’s biggest stage.
Austria will now look to build on its positive start in the race for a place in the knockout rounds, while Jordan faces an uphill battle to keep its World Cup hopes alive.
Source: Saudi Gazette