Tuesday’s affair will be a celebration all around. The Group J match marks Austria’s return to the World Cup after a 28-year absence and Jordan’s first tournament appearance ever.
Although the atmosphere will be celebratory, the pitch should still see a fierce battle. Austria may be World Cup-rusty, but it has every intention of advancing to the knockout stage, likely via a second- or third-place finish, given the almighty Argentina is also a Group J member and widely anticipated to top the group. Jordan, on the other hand, will be hard-pressed to prove it belongs—a worthy adversary rather than a simple walk in the park.
