Austria beat Jordan 3–1, Argentina await after 28-year wait ends

Austria beat Jordan 3–1 in the World Cup opener

Austria 3–1 Jordan in the World Cup opener. Your first win at a World Cup in 28 years (1) (2). Marko Arnautovic scored twice and became the oldest Austrian to score at a World Cup (2). Romano Schmid added the third. Ali Olwan pulled one back for Jordan, and Yazan Al Arab had a goal ruled out, but the night belonged to Rangnick's men.

Rangnick: the bench won this one

Rangnick did not pretend it was comfortable. "It was an extremely difficult match," he said. "Jordan truly made life complicated for us." (1) The game turned when the bench came on. "The substitutions helped us immensely today as well, they brought more quality to our play," Rangnick added. Sasa Kalajdzic was among those who made a difference after coming on (1).

Argentina next, and the warning signs are real

That first half was patchy, and the German press flagged it immediately. Kicker warned that Austria must raise their level before facing Lionel Messi's Argentina (2). Jordan disrupted Rangnick's rhythm for long spells. The second half was better, sharper, faster, more direct, but Argentina will punish the same slow start. The win puts Austria top of Group J, level on points with Argentina, who face your team next.

Fan reactions

A video from a Roman amphitheatre in Jordan went viral on Reddit after the match. Hundreds of Jordan fans watched the game on a big screen under the ancient arches. The scene earned respect from neutrals, and the thread filled up with praise for the passion of the Jordan supporters.

Watch the scene from the amphitheatre