After 28 years away, Austria triumphantly returned to the FIFA World Cup (WC), defeating Group J opponents Jordan 3-1 in San Francisco. Jordan made an impressive start despite going six games without a win.
Within two minutes, Jordan carved out the first opportunity when Ehsan Haddad struck the side net after a swift counterattack. Musa Al-Taamari had the first effort on goal shortly after, but Alexander Schlager made the easiest save. This gave Jordan more confidence.
When Odeh Al-Fakhouri took aim from 25 yards and forced Schlager to tip over, the Jordanians’ strategy of sitting deep in defense to suppress the Austrian threat and strike them on the break almost worked.
However, around the 20-minute mark, Xaver Schlager returned the ball to Romano Schmid, who curled Austria’s first real chance straight into the top corner from beyond the area, ending the debutants’ promising start.
Two minutes later, when a corner was brought to the near post, Al-Nashama were only inches away from a perfect response, but Ali Olwan’s header clipped the crossbar. After the first-half hydration break, Austria improved control, but only until Olwan launched a powerful effort in the 34th minute. The goalkeeper was only able to parry it to Al-Taamari, and Philipp Lienhart’s crucial stop was required for Olwan’s follow-up.
As halftime drew near, the West Asian team was ahead, but their only chance to tie the score before halftime was an Al-Taamari shot that went wide in extra time.
Five minutes into the second half, they forced a turnover in their own half, and Noor Al-Rawabdeh set Olwan away down the left wing, where he cut into the 18-yard box to send a clean strike around Schlager and in off the post for his 30th international goal. This moment will go down in Jordanian football history forever.
Das Team reacted favorably to conceding, just like their rivals did in the first half. And after Stefan Posch and Carney Chukwuemeka had half-chances, Austria believed they had taken the lead once more when replacement Marko Arnautovic stabbed home at a corner. However, the goal was disallowed after a VAR review for handball by Posch before the ball fell to Austria’s record scorer.
However, 13 minutes from time, Marcel Sabitzer’s delivery caused confusion in the Jordan defense and was redirected into his own net by Yazan Al-Arab, meaning that Ralf Rangnick’s team would not be denied at their next corner.
Salim Obaid handled Arnautovic’s ball across goal in the tenth minute of extra time, despite the fact that he was unable to enhance the winning margin by firing straight at Yazeed Abulaila while one-on-one.
Accepting responsibility, Arnautovic scored Austria’s first World Cup victory since 1990 with a penalty kick for his 48th goal for his country, joining Argentina on three points in Group J.
Jamal Sellami’s team, who are currently winless in eight games against European opponents, will be relieved not to have to play another UEFA member in the group.
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