San Francisco, June 17 (SANA) Austria secured a 3-1 victory over Jordan in their opening Group J match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup on Tuesday, pulling away late after a competitive contest at San Francisco Bay Arena in the United States.
Romano Schmid gave Austria the lead in the 20th minute with a powerful strike from outside the penalty area after being set up by Xaver Schlager.
Jordan responded positively and came close to equalizing before halftime. Ali Olwan hit the crossbar in the 22nd minute and later forced a save from Austrian goalkeeper Alexander Schlager, while Mousa Al-Taamari missed a late opportunity as Austria carried a 1-0 advantage into the break.
Jordan leveled the score five minutes into the second half when Olwan finished a low shot from inside the area following a pass from Noor Al-Rawabdeh.
Austria restored its lead when Jordan defender Yazan Al-Arab scored an own goal under pressure, before Jordan pushed forward in search of another equalizer.
Substitute goalkeeper Yazeed Abu Laila kept Jordan in the contest with a key save deep into stoppage time, but Austria sealed the result in the 102nd minute when veteran striker Marko Arnautović converted a penalty awarded after a VAR review.
The victory gives Austria three points from its opening match in Group J, while Jordan remains without a point ahead of the next round of group-stage fixtures.
R.D/ABD
