Austria secured their first FIFA World Cup victory since 1990 after defeating tournament debutants Jordan 3-1 in San Francisco to begin their Group J campaign on a winning note, Softfootball reports.
Ralf Rangnick’s side took the lead in the 21st minute when Romano Schmid produced a stunning strike from distance. Jordan responded well after the break, with Ali Olwan curling home an excellent equaliser five minutes into the second half.
Austria thought they had restored their advantage through Marko Arnautovic, but the goal was ruled out following a VAR review that spotted a handball by Stefan Posch in the build-up.
The Europeans eventually regained the lead in the 76th minute when Jordan defender Yazan Al Arab inadvertently turned a corner into his own net. Arnautovic then wrapped up the victory deep into stoppage time, converting a penalty after Saleem Obaid was penalised for handball.
The win marks Austria’s first World Cup triumph since beating the United States 2-1 on 19 June 1990 and a successful return to the tournament after missing the finals since 1998.
Austria will next face defending champions Argentina, while Jordan take on Algeria in their second Group J fixture.
Player Ratings
Austria Player Ratings
| Player | Rating |
|---|---|
| Alexander Schlager | 7.1 |
| Stefan Posch | 6.4 |
| Philipp Lienhart | 7.4 |
| David Alaba | 7.2 |
| Phillipp Mwene | 6.4 |
| Nicolas Seiwald | 7.3 |
| Xaver Schlager | 8.0 |
| Romano Schmid | 7.5 |
| Konrad Laimer | 6.2 |
| Marcel Sabitzer | 7.4 |
| Sasa Kalajdzic | 6.5 |
| Marko Arnautovic | 7.6 |
| Kevin Danso | 6.8 |
Jordan Player Ratings
| Player | Rating |
|---|---|
| Yazeed Abulaila | 5.8 |
| Ehsan Haddad | 6.5 |
| Abdallah Nasib | 6.4 |
| Yazan Al Arab | 6.5 |
| Mo Abualnadi | 6.3 |
| Mohannad Abu Taha | 7.2 |
| Odeh Fakhouri | 6.8 |
| Nizar Al Rashdan | 7.0 |
| Noor Al Rawabdeh | 7.9 |
| Ali Olwan | 7.7 |
| Mousa Tamari | 6.5 |
| Saleem Obaid | 5.9 |
Match Statistics
| Statistic | Austria | Jordan |
|---|---|---|
| Goals | 3 | 1 |
| Possession | 56% | 44% |
| Total Shots | 11 | 11 |
| Shots on Target | 4 | 4 |
| Shots off Target | 6 | 5 |
| Passes | 488 | 241 |
| Pass Accuracy | 84% | 73% |
| Corners | 1 | 2 |
| Fouls Committed | 12 | 6 |
| Yellow Cards | 1 | 0 |
| Offsides | 3 | 1 |
