An own goal off a corner kick in the 76th minute broke a tie and Austria went on to defeat Jordan 3-1 in a World Cup Group J match on Tuesday in Santa Clara, Calif.
Romano Schmid and Marko Arnautovic scored, the latter on a penalty kick in the final minute of second-half stoppage time, for Austria (1-0-0, 3 points), making their first World Cup appearance since 1998. Goalkeeper Alexander Schlager made three saves for the victory.
Ali Olwan tallied for Jordan in their World Cup debut.
Jordan entered the tourney No. 63 in the FIFA world rankings and winless in their previous five matches (0-3-2), but gave No. 24 Austria (4-0-1 in the same stretch) all they could handle.
The deciding goal came just after the second-half hydration break. Marcel Sabitzer’s corner from the left wing glanced off the head of defender Yazan Al-Arab and into the far side netting.
Arnautovic clinched it from the penalty spot after Jordan’s Saleem Obaid was called for a handball while sliding to try and block a shot.
Austria appeared to break the tie in the 67th minute, when Arnautovic spun and put the ball into the net from about 5 yards out following a goalmouth scramble after Jordan goalie Yazeed Abulaila misplayed a corner kick. After a video review, it was determined the ball went off the arm of Austria’s Stefan Posch before falling to Arnautovic, and the goal was disallowed.
Olwan tied it at 1-all in the 50th minute. Noor Al-Rawabdeh stole the ball and immediately sent a pass to Olwan at midfield. Olwan drove down the left wing, cut slightly toward the center of the field once he got to the top of the penalty area and put a right-footed shot from 15 yards off the far post and into the net.
Austria opened the scoring in the 20th minute. They worked the ball to Xaver Schlager at the top left corner of the penalty area, and he sent a pass back to Schmid in the middle of the field. Schmid took one touch and launched a 22-yard shot from the top of the semi-circle above the penalty area into the upper right corner of the net, leaving Abulaila no chance.
Austria and Argentina, a 3-0 winner over Algeria earlier on Tuesday, both have three points heading into their Group J clash on Monday in Arlington, Texas. Jordan and Algeria will meet on Monday in Santa Clara.
–Field Level Media
