COLOMBO (News 1st); Austria launched their FIFA World Cup 2026 campaign with a hard-fought 3-1 victory over Jordan in a dramatic Group J encounter at the San Francisco Bay Area Stadium.
The European side took an early lead in the 21st minute when Romano Schmid produced a superb strike to give Austria a 1-0 advantage.
Jordan, making their debut appearance on the World Cup stage, responded with determination and made history in the 50th minute. Forward Ali Olwan found the equaliser with a precise finish, marking Jordan’s first-ever goal in a FIFA World Cup and bringing the score level at 1-1.
The match remained tightly contested as both sides created opportunities, but Austria regained the lead in the 76th minute under fortunate circumstances.
A corner situation led to a defensive error from Jordan, with Yazan Al-Arab turning the ball into his own net, handing Austria a 2-1 advantage.
As Jordan pushed for another equaliser, the game stretched into stoppage time, producing late drama. In the 90+12th minute, Austria secured a decisive third goal when Marko Arnautović calmly converted a penalty into the bottom corner after a handball decision was awarded following VAR intervention.
The late strike ensured Austria sealed a 3-1 victory, with the final scoreline reflecting a contest that was more competitive than the result suggested.
