Austrian football celebrated a significant milestone as the national team secured their first World Cup victory in 36 years, defeating Jordan 3-1 in their Group J opener held at Levi's Stadium in San Francisco. The match took place on June 17, 2026, in front of an impressive crowd of 68,527 spectators.

Match Overview

The game started with Jordan showing promise, as captain Ehsan Haddad nearly put them ahead within the first two minutes, only to see his volley hit the side netting. However, it was Austria who struck first, with Romano Schmid scoring a stunning opener in the 21st minute, marking Austria's only shot on target in the first half. Jordan responded quickly, with Ali Olwan coming close to equalizing just moments later, hitting the bar with a glancing header.

Second Half Action

Jordan's persistence paid off early in the second half when Olwan found the back of the net with a curling shot that went in off the post in the 50th minute, leveling the score at 1-1. Austria made tactical changes, and while Marko Arnautovic thought he had restored the lead in the 67th minute, his goal was disallowed after a VAR review confirmed a handball by Stefan Posch. The turning point came in the 76th minute when a corner led to an own goal by Yazan Al Arab, putting Austria back in front.

In stoppage time, Arnautovic sealed the victory for Austria by converting a penalty, concluding the match with a final score of 3-1. This win not only marked a historic moment for Austria but also highlighted Jordan's commendable performance in their World Cup debut.