Austria began their World Cup 2026 campaign with a hard-fought 3-1 victory over Jordan in Group J, though the scoreline barely reflected the contest that unfolded at San Francisco Bay Area Stadium.
Romano Schmid handed Austria the lead in the 20th minute, giving Ralf Rangnick’s men a deserved advantage heading into the break.
Jordan, however, responded strongly after the restart. Ali Olwan struck five minutes into the second half to level the match and put Austria under pressure.
With the game heading towards a tense finish, Jordan’s hopes were dealt a cruel blow when defender Yazan Alarab inadvertently turned the ball into his own net in the 76th minute, restoring Austria’s lead.
The match became increasingly heated in the closing stages before veteran striker Marko Arnautovic wrapped up the victory from the penalty spot deep into stoppage time, converting in the 102nd minute to make it 3-1.
Austria’s victory puts them level on three points with Argentina at the top of Group J, after Lionel Messi’s hat-trick inspired the defending champions to a 3-0 win over Algeria earlier.
The match attracted a crowd of 68,527 at San Francisco Bay Area Stadium, with Mauritanian referee Dahane Beida overseeing the encounter.
Austria will next face Argentina in a potentially decisive Group J clash, while Jordan take on Algeria as both sides look to boost their hopes of reaching the knockout stage.
