left San Francisco Bay Area Stadium disappointed by the result but encouraged by the experience of making their long-awaited debut in a to Austria.
Although Ralf Rangnick’s side emerged victorious, Jordan matched for long periods and were level at 1-1 until an unfortunate own goal in the 76th minute shifted the momentum.
A late penalty sealed victory for Austria, but the scoreline did not fully reflect a contest in which Al-Nashama created several opportunities.
Noor Al Rawabdeh provided the assist for Ali Olwan’s equaliser, slipping a perfectly weighted pass to create Jordan’s first-ever World Cup goal in front of a large contingent of travelling supporters at .
Despite the defeat, midfielder Al Rawabdeh insisted Jordan took plenty of positives from their maiden match at the tournament.
"We didn't make the most of our chances," Al Rawabdeh told FIFA after the game. “In the first half, we missed three clear opportunities to score, but we learned an important lesson from this match.
“In big games, you might only get three or four chances, and you have to take them. In the end, we gave everything we had. This was our first match at the World Cup and we are proud of our fans who came to the stadium today. I hope we can make them happy in the next match.”
The first World Cup appearance in Jordan’s history was a moment supporters had waited decades to witness. Thousands of fans gathered at Amman’s Roman Theatre, one of Jordan’s most iconic landmarks, in the heart of the capital. The crowds spilled far beyond the venue, filling the surrounding Hashemite Plaza, with every available space filled up hours before kick-off.
Now the milestone match has passed, Al-Nashama must regroup ahead of further Group J games against Algeria and Argentina; Al Rawabdeh believes they can do so with optimism.
“Austria have more experience than us in major tournaments, and that experience showed in front of goal,” the Selangor midfielder said. “But we learned from this experience, we overcame our fear and we got rid of the pressure that comes with a first match. That means the next game will be more enjoyable for us.”
Defender Mohammad Abualnadi, meanwhile, believes simply taking part in Jordan’s first World Cup match was an achievement in itself, despite the result.
“It is a huge achievement for us,” he said. “Now we are looking ahead to what comes next in the tournament.”
Abualnadi also pointed to the fine margins that ultimately decided the match and expressed confidence that Jordan can bounce back.
“The small details were the reason we lost today. We had some easy chances in the first half that we failed to convert. What we need to do now is stay focused, correct our mistakes and improve on this. We hope to achieve what we want in the next match.”
Jordan will on Monday 22 June, at San Francisco Bay Area Stadium before concluding their Group J campaign on Saturday 27 June, at Dallas Stadium.
Sources: FIFA Official
