SANTA CLARA, Calif. — Austria won a World Cup game for the first time in 36 years with a 3-1 victory Tuesday over a Jordan team on debut at soccer’s premier global event.
An own goal from a corner kick that deflected off Jordanian defender Yazan Al Arab gave Austria a 2-1 lead in the 76th minute. Marko Arnautovic’s penalty kick deep in stoppage team extended the margin.
The game between a Jordanian team on debut and an Austrian squad back on soccer’s biggest stage after missing the last six tournaments featured plenty of excitement.
It peaked in a stretch in the second half that featured an equalizer by Jordan and two balls sent into the net off corner kicks by Austria — with only one of those counting.
Substitute Arnautovic had appeared to give Austria the lead when he converted from a corner kick after a misplay by Jordanian goalkeeper Yazeed Abulaila. But the decision went to VAR and the referee called a hand ball on Stefan Posch whose arm touched the ball in the lead up.
Austria got another corner kick shortly after the second-half hydration break and the took a 2-1 lead on Al Arab’s own goal.
That proved to be the difference for Austria, which earned its first win at the World Cup since beating the United States in a group-stage match in 1990. Jordan fell short in its attempt to become the first country to win its World Cup debut game since Senegal did it in 2002 against defending-champion France.
Romano Schmid scored in the 20th minute for Austria when he capped off an impressive buildup that put the Jordanian defence on its heels. Xaver Schlager fed a pass to Schmid, who hit a perfectly struck right-foot shot from the edge of the area into the top corner of the net.
Ali Olwan tied it for Jordan in the 50th when made a long run into the box on a counterattack and beat Alexander Schlager with a right-foot shot that delighted the large contingent of Jordanian fans.
Jordan will return to Santa Clara for its second match next Monday against Algeria, which lost 3-0 to Argentina in the first Group J match. Austria will face Lionel Messi and Argentina in the Dallas area that same day.