Austria celebrated their first FIFA World Cup finals victory in 36 years after overcoming tournament newcomers Jordan 3-1 in San Francisco.
Ralf Rangnick’s men started brightly and were rewarded midway through the opening half through Romano Schmid. The midfielder produced a superb long range effort in the 21st minute that left Jordan goalkeeper Yazeed Abulaila with no chance and gave Austria a deserved advantage.
Jordan responded well after the interval and found a route back into the contest five minutes into the second half. Ali Olwan curled a fine strike beyond the Austrian defence to level the scores and raise hopes of a memorable result for the Asian side.
Austria believed they had regained control when veteran striker Marko Arnautovic finished from close range following a corner. However, after a VAR review, the goal was ruled out as replays showed Stefan Posch had handled the ball during the build up.
The setback did not disrupt Austria’s momentum. With 14 minutes remaining, they moved ahead once more when defender Yazan Al Arab accidentally diverted a corner into his own net under pressure inside the penalty area.
Jordan continued to battle but their hopes faded deep into stoppage time. Saleem Obaid was penalised for handball, allowing Arnautovic to step forward and calmly convert from the spot in the 102nd minute to put the result beyond doubt.
The victory marks Austria’s first World Cup finals success since their 2-1 win over the United States on 19 June 1990 and provides a strong platform heading into a difficult encounter with reigning champions Argentina.
Jordan, ranked 67th in the world, can still take positives from an encouraging display as they prepare for crucial group stage matches against Algeria and Argentina.
