In a match that, if repeated many times, would not end with this result, the Jordanian national team opened its journey in its first participation in the World Cup finals with a painful loss against the Austrian national team, in the match that was held at “Levai” stadium in California, and ended with the European team winning three to one, for the first round of matches of Group Ten of the 2026 World Cup.
The Jordanian national team started the match with confidence and courage, and this was evident in the attempts made by Musa Al-Taamari and his teammates on the goal of goalkeeper Alexander Schlager. It began with the surprise shot launched by Ihsan Haddad from outside the penalty area, which passed just past the post.
Then it was the turn of star Musa Al-Taamari, to send the first test to the opposing team’s goalkeeper, with another shot that the goalkeeper dealt with well. Minutes later, Awda Al-Fakhoury launched a powerful shot, but Schlager pushed it away with great difficulty with his hand to a corner kick.
In the first Austrian attempt on goal against goalkeeper Yazeed Abu Laila, Romano Schmid managed to score against the Jordanian net with a rocket shot from the edge of the penalty area. The Al-Nashama goalkeeper could only watch as it went into the impossible place to the left of the goal.
The courageous Jordanian attempts did not stop, with a continuity of shots and attempts, which ultimately resulted in the equalizing goal scored by Ali Alwan, also with an unstoppable shot, which the goalkeeper could only enjoy as it hit the left post, and then rolled into the net.
Contrary to the course of the match, veteran Austrian striker Marko Arnautovic managed to score his team's second goal minutes after coming on in the second half, but the referee disallowed the goal due to a handball by the Austrian player before the ball reached the goal scorer.
While Jamal Al-Salami’s men were searching for a second winning goal, the painful blow came with an own goal, scored by Yazan Al-Arab with a header in a moment of confusion inside the penalty area, a quarter of an hour before the end of the match.
In stoppage time, the referee awarded a penalty kick to Austria, which Arnautovic successfully executed into Abu Laila's net, ending the match with Austria winning 3-1 against Jordan. This came hours after Algeria lost to Argentina with a Lionel Messi hat-trick in the same group, and before them, Iraq fell to Norway 1-4 in the ninth group.
