It might be an old cliche, but for Marko Arnautović, the third time really was the charm. Having first had a goal ruled out after VAR intervention and then failing to convert a chance when through on goal, Arnautović, Austria’s all-time leading scorer, struck from the penalty spot to secure his country a 3-1 win over Jordan on Tuesday night at Levi’s Stadium. The victory, Austria’s first at a World Cup in 36 years, puts them second in Group J, with one point from their two remaining matches almost certainly enough to advance to the knockout stages.
Yet the scoreline somewhat flattered the Austrians. Jordan, playing in their first-ever World Cup match, were the more dangerous team for large swathes of the evening, and received their reward through Ali Olwan’s stunning goal to knot the game up early in the second half. One of four debutants at this summer’s tournament in North America, Jordan’s performance in the southern reaches of the Bay Area showed that they haven’t shown up just to participate.
While criticism has been leveled at the World Cup’s expansion from 32 to 48 teams, this was an occasion which highlighted the benefits of the expanded tournament format. Neither Austria nor Jordan are World Cup regulars. Third-place finishers in 1954, Austria had last qualified in 1998, while Jordan had never before graced this stage.
That gave Tuesday’s clash a real sense of occasion, especially for Jordan. Hours before kickoff, the parking lots at Levi’s Stadium were awash with young Jordanians clad in checkered keffiyehs and bouncing to Arab pop music, giddy with anticipation. And though Austria were well supported, a wall of red shirts amassed behind one of the goals, the Middle Eastern country’s fans were more visible throughout the ground, many of them waving the Jordanian flag.
Austria manager Ralf Rangnick had made a couple of tweaks to their expected personnel and formation, giving the surprise nod to Saša Kalajdžić ahead of the veteran Arnautović to lead the line. Rangnick had also elected to play with wingbacks, Philipp Mwene and Stefan Posch supplying width to try and stretch Jordan’s defense. Austria’s attacking intentions were clear from the off. Rangnick is known as “the Godfather of Gegenpressing,” having inspired the likes of Jürgen Klopp, and his team were hunting in packs high up the pitch, trying to force Jordanian turnovers close to their own goal.
The best early chances, however, belonged to Jordan. In the lead-up to the match, Jamal Sellami, Jordan’s head coach, had stressed the importance of beginning the game well. They nearly got off to a dream start. Musa Al-Tamari, Jordan’s star man who plays at Rennes in France, picked up possession in his own half and dribbled fifty yards to the edge of the Austrian box before sending in a low cross which fell to Ehsan Haddad after a deflection. The Jordanian captain could only hit the side netting, but it was an early sign that Al-Nashama (The Chivalrous Ones) were going to do more than just defend. The Jordan fans around your correspondent’s seat roared with approval.
The underdogs went close again just past the quarter-hour. This time the chance fell to Odeh Al-Fakhouri, who deftly held up a long pass, then unleashed a ferocious shot with his left boot. Austrian goalkeeper Alexander Schlager managed to tip the effort over, but the warnings were there for Rangnick’s eleven.
Jordan had been defending stoutly, too, their trio of center-backs cleaning up any Austrian passes into the box. But they were powerless to prevent Austria from grabbing the lead on twenty minutes. The honor fell to Romano Schmid, the 5’ 5” Werder Bremen playmaker who was afforded too much space on the edge of the D and curled home a delightful opener. It was an emphatic way to score Austria’s first World Cup of this century.
Sellami’s team nearly found an instant answer. A Jordanian corner reached Mohammad Abualnadi, who looped his header onto the crossbar. It would have been some story if Abualnadi– born in Kansas to Jordanian parents and a University of Pittsburgh alumnus– had scored in the country of his birth. As it stood, Austria retained their slim advantage.
Despite Austria hoarding the bulk of possession, Jordan were in the ascendancy as the halftime whistle blew. Rangnick introduced Arnautović for the blunt instrument Kalajdžić at the break, but it was an attacking player at the other end who brought the second half to life. A terrific pass from Noor Al-Rawabdeh found Olwan in space on the left, who then dribbled into the penalty area and thundered his shot in off the far post. The Jordanian fans at Levi’s were in raptures, and they had every right to be. It was Al-Nashama’s first goal at this level, and what a way to score it.
Austria were shaken. Rangnick made a triple substitution, bringing on youngsters Carney Chukwuemeka and Paul Wanner, and gradually Das Team began to assert a bit of control. Just before the second-half hydration break, they looked to have regained the lead. Yazeed Abulaila, Jordan’s veteran goalkeeper, failed to catch an Austrian corner, the ball dropping first to Posch, then to Arnautovic, who buried his strike. It will have been a euphoric feeling for Arnautović, Austria’s record appearance maker and goalscorer who has been part of the national team setup for nearly two decades but had never before played in soccer’s grandest tournament.
But VAR was there to spoil his party. Mauritanian referee Dahane Beida was summoned to the monitor, where replays showed the ball brushing against Posch’s arm before it reached Arnautović. Cue renewed celebrations from the Al-Nashama faithful.
The ball was soon in the net again, and this time there would be no reprieve for Jordan. It came from a corner, the final touch coming off the unfortunate Yazan Al-Arab and leaving Abulaila with no chance. Jordan’s players looked devastated, Austria’s relieved, as they wheeled into the corner to celebrate.
Austria would add a final flourish deep into stoppage time. This time they were VAR’s beneficiaries, the officials in Dallas having spotted a handball by Jordan defender Salim Obaid. Arnautović had spurned a terrific chance earlier in injury time, but he made no mistake here, sending the keeper the wrong way to ensure Austria’s victory. For him at least, good things do come to those that wait.
Inthehalfspace 