The United States launched their 2026 World Cup campaign in emphatic fashion, defeating Paraguay 4-1 in Los Angeles. Driven by a dominant attacking display and inspired by a brace from Folarin Balogun, the co-hosts made an impressive start to life in Group D.
The breakthrough arrived after only seven minutes. Christian Pulisic sparked the move with a burst through the Paraguayan defence before finding Weston McKennie, whose low delivery into the area was accidentally diverted into the net by Damian Bobadilla.
The early advantage reflected the momentum generated by the home side, who quickly established control in front of a passionate crowd and maintained pressure throughout much of the contest.
Balogun takes centre stage
Although Balogun had a goal ruled out for offside midway through the first half, the Monaco forward soon found his reward. In the 31st minute he finished confidently after being set up by Pulisic, extending the Americans’ lead.
The striker struck again before the interval. Malik Tillman supplied a precise through ball, allowing Balogun to evade Omar Alderete and curl an excellent finish beyond goalkeeper Orlando Gill and into the top corner.
His double placed him in rare company. Balogun became only the second player from the United States to score more than once in a World Cup match, following Bert Patenaude, who achieved the feat against the same opponent during the inaugural tournament in 1930.
The result also matched the largest World Cup victory in United States history, equalling the nation’s 3-0 wins against Paraguay and Belgium during the 1930 competition.
Paraguay responds, but USA finish strongly
After the restart, the hosts continued to create opportunities and looked capable of increasing their advantage further. Nevertheless, Paraguay managed to reduce the deficit despite spending long periods under pressure.
Mauricio, who was born in Brazil, finished calmly after being released by Julio Enciso, beating Matt Freese and giving the South Americans renewed hope.
The response, however, proved short-lived. With the final action of the match, substitute Giovanni Reyna produced a spectacular finish from around 20 yards, striking the ball with the outside of his right foot to complete the scoring and secure a convincing victory.
The United States ended the evening with 16 attempts on goal and could have scored even more, with Chris Richards and Tillman both coming close. Tillman’s effort was denied only by an excellent save from Gill.
Memorable occasion in Los Angeles
The match was preceded by a colourful opening celebration that featured a performance by Shakira, appearances from well-known figures including David Beckham and Tom Cruise, and a crowd exceeding 70,000 spectators.
One notable absentee was United States President Donald Trump, who did not attend the first of the 78 World Cup matches scheduled to be played in the country.
Once the football began, Mauricio Pochettino’s side delivered a composed performance that matched the excitement surrounding the event. Pulisic played a key role in the opening stages and was directly involved in the first two goals, although his withdrawal at halftime may be a concern for the coaching staff.
Balogun also continued the strong form he displayed at club level, where he ended the Ligue 1 season with nine goals in 13 appearances. His contribution offered further evidence of the attacking threat available to the hosts as they seek a lengthy run in the tournament.
Football has continued to increase in popularity since the United States last hosted the World Cup in 1994, and the national team will hope that such an encouraging opening performance helps generate even greater enthusiasm for the sport.
Attention turns to the next fixtures
The United States will continue its Group D campaign against Australia on 19 June.
Paraguay, meanwhile, will attempt to recover when they face Turkey on 20 June.
