Arnautovic Seals Austria's Winning Start With Late Penalty Against Jordan

Austria began their 2026 FIFA World Cup journey on a winning note after defeating Jordan 3-1 in an entertaining Group J clash on Tuesday.

The Europeans, appearing at the tournament for the first time in nearly three decades, started brightly and were rewarded in the first half.

Midfielder Romano Schmid produced a stunning effort from distance to hand Austria the lead and put his side in control before the break.

Jordan, making their historic World Cup debut, refused to back down. Their moment of history arrived shortly after halftime when Ali Olwan became the nation's first-ever World Cup goalscorer.

The forward cut inside from the left flank before curling a superb strike beyond the goalkeeper to level the contest and spark celebrations among Jordanian supporters.

The game remained finely balanced until the closing stages when Austria capitalised on Jordan's defensive struggles from set pieces.

A dangerous corner caused confusion inside the penalty area, leading to an own goal by defender Yazan Al-Arab, restoring Austria's advantage.

Jordan's hopes of a late comeback were extinguished deep into stoppage time. Salim Obaid was penalised for handling the ball inside the box while attempting to block a shot. Veteran striker Marko Arnautovic stepped up and calmly converted the resulting penalty.

The victory gives Austria an ideal start to their World Cup campaign, while Jordan will look to bounce back in their next group match.