Austria win first FIFA World Cup match in 36 years
What's the story
Austria marked their return to the FIFA World Cup with a historic victory over Jordan, winning 3-1 in their Group J opener. This was Austria's first win in the tournament since 1990, when they defeated the United States. The match was a tight contest with both teams creating plenty of chances. However, it was Austria who capitalized on their opportunities, thanks to a second-half own goal and a late penalty by Marko Arnautovic.
Game details
How the match panned out
The match was a thrilling affair, with Jordan making their FIFA World Cup debut. After Romano Schmid drew first blood for Austria, Jordan equalized in the second half through Ali Olwan. However, Austria regained their lead when Yazan Al-Arab inadvertently scored an own goal from a corner kick. The game was finally settled in stoppage time when Arnautovic converted a penalty after a handball by Obaid in the box.
Path to win
Here are the match stats
The match was evenly contested as both sides had 11 attempts at goal. However, Austria's midfield class helped them build pressure. They had 51% possession compared to 37% of Jordan (12% in the contest). Austria passed 586 times, completing 492 of those. They also completed five of their 15 crosses. Notably, Jordan received 15 free kicks.
Future matches
Next up for Austria and Jordan
As mentioned, Austria claimed their first FIFA World Cup win in 36 years. They last featured in the tournament in 1998 but couldn't win a game. While Austria missed the 1994 campaign, their previous win was in the 1990 edition. Austria will next face reigning champions Argentina in their next Group J match, while Jordan will take on Algeria in a must-win game.