06/17/26 02:30:00
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06/17 02:26 CDT Austria beats Jordan 3-1 for its first World Cup win in 36 years
Austria beats Jordan 3-1 for its first World Cup win in 36 years
By JOSH DUBOW
AP Sports Writer
SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) --- 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. Veteran striker Marko
Arnautovic's penalty kick deep in stoppage team extended the margin.
"This was a very intense evening, sometimes a little too intense," Austria
coach Ralf Rangnick said. "Jordan did an amazing job and made it very difficult
for us. At the end of the day, we deserved to win but it was very difficult."
The Group J game between a Jordanian team at the World Cup for the first time
and an Austria 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.
The 37-year-old Arnautovic had appeared to give Austria the lead when he fired
in after a misplay by Jordanian goalkeeper Yazeed Abulaila. But the decision
went to a VAR review and the referee called a hand ball on Stefan Posch 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.
"No one was expecting us to be that bold, to be that proactive and to be that
capable of benefiting from the available opportunities," Jordan coach Jamal
Sellami said. "This was exactly the message we wanted to convey."
Romano Schmid scored in the 20th minute for Austria when he capped off an
impressive buildup that put the Jordanian defense 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.
Posch injured his jaw later in the match and his status going ahead is in doubt.
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.
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AP World Cup: https://apnews.com/fifa-world-cup
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