Austria celebrated its first FIFA World Cup appearance in nearly three decades with a 3-1 triumph over Jordan on Tuesday, navigating a tense Group J encounter that saw historic milestones for both sides.
The European side, ending a 28-year absence from football's premier tournament, asserted dominance early in the match in Bay Area Stadium in California.
Romano Schmid found the back of the net in the 20th minute to give Austria the lead, a reward for a generation of supporters who had not seen their team on this stage since 1998.
World Cup debutants Jordan refused to retreat and clawed their way back into the contest five minutes after halftime. Ali Olwan etched his name into his country's history books by becoming the first Jordanian to score at a World Cup, a goal that restored equality.
Late drama
The stalemate persisted until the 76th minute when misfortune struck the Jordanian squad. An own goal by Yazan Al Arab restored Austria's advantage as the match entered its final stages. Deep into stoppage time, 37-year-old veteran Marko Arnautovic sealed the victory by clinically converting a penalty in the 90+12th minute.
This result places Austria in second position in Group J, where they sit level on points with Argentina, trailing only on goal difference.
The 2026 tournament, hosted across the US, Canada, and Mexico, continues through July 19.
