Austria 3-1 Jordan: Five key takeaways from FIFA World Cup 2026 clash
Jordan’s World Cup debut didn’t go as planned.
Thanks to goals from Romano Schmid in the first half, an own goal by Jordanian defender Yazan Al Arab, and a penalty kick from Marko Arnautovic deep into injury time, Austria’s first FIFA World Cup match in 28 years concluded with a hard-fought victory over Jordan.
Jordan did respond in the second half. Their star player, Ali Olwan, struck past the opposition goalkeeper to bring his side into the game. But Austria proved too strong for them. They put the game to bed with two more goals.
Key takeaways
5. Marko Arnautović oldest appearance maker for Austria at the World Cup
Marko Arnautović became the oldest player to make an appearance for Austria in the FIFA World Cup. His age is 37 years and 59 days. He came off the bench in the second half to help secure a 3-1 victory over Jordan in their Group J opener.
With his penalty, he is also their oldest scorer in the FIFA World Cup.
4. All of Austria’s 30 World Cup games have never finished goalless
With a 3-1 victory over debutants Jordan in their Group J opener, Austria made their World Cup comeback after a 28-year absence. They relied on an own goal in the second half and a last-minute penalty to secure the three points. With their win, they also set a new record in the competition.
As of right now, Austria have participated in 30 FIFA World Cup games. None of them has ended without a goal.
3. Ali Olwan first-ever Jordan goalscorer at the World Cup
Ali Olwan, a forward, made history by scoring his country’s first-ever goal at the FIFA World Cup. Every minute spent on the pitch was already significant for the nation. Before the 2026 tournament, they had never advanced to the highest level of football.
Olwan believes it is worthwhile to observe the trajectory. The 26-year-old forward’s record now includes a historic tournament goal in addition to nine World Cup qualification goals.
Also read: Who is Ali Olwan? Jordan’s first-ever World Cup goalscorer
2. Austria win first World Cup game since 1990
Austria had a great first World Cup 2026 match against Jordan, winning handily to secure all three points.
Austria defeated debutants Jordan 3-1 in their Group J first match at the San Francisco Bay Area Stadium. It helped them earn their first World Cup victory since 1990. The historic victory was completed by a late own goal and a penalty after Romano Schmid opened the scoring.
1. Jordan score first World Cup goal
Jordan scored their first-ever FIFA World Cup goal despite losing the match. After halftime, the debutant nation were able to equalise the score with a goal from their best player, Ali Olwan, in the 50th minute. However, it was enough for the nation.
Austria managed to pull back two more. But Jordan can take solace from their goal, despite them losing the game.
What were the key highlights of the game?
Jordan made their World Cup debut, and Austria won their first game in the competition since 1990.
Where do Jordan stand in the table now?
They are third in Group J.
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After earning a bachelor's degree in mass media, Rajarshi began his career as a sports writer in 2019, driven by his passion for sports journalism. He has been working in the field for over six years. A devoted fan of Lionel Messi and Barcelona, Rajarshi has been involved in sports since childhood. Before turning his focus to journalism, he even represented his college at the state level. Along with covering football, he enjoys playing the game, watching movies, and experimenting with new recipes in his spare time, as cooking is one of his favorite hobbies.