USMNT Routs Paraguay 4-1 in World Cup Opener as Balogun Makes History

The United States opened the 2026 World Cup it is hosting with a statement, routing Paraguay 4-1 on Friday night as Folarin Balogun scored twice and a late strike from Gio Reyna sent a sold-out crowd at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles into delirium.

The Americans needed only six minutes to take the lead. Pressure down the left flank, with Christian Pulisic and Weston McKennie combining, forced Paraguay midfielder Damian Bobadilla into an own goal, and the early breakthrough set the tone for a dominant first half. Balogun then took over. In the 31st minute he met a Pulisic cross to double the lead, and in first-half stoppage time the Monaco striker shed two defenders before placing a precise finish into the upper corner.

With the brace, Balogun became the first American to score twice in a single World Cup match since the inaugural tournament in 1930 — a piece of history for a player who chose to represent the United States over England. "They were magnificent," one analyst said of the U.S. performance, which blended relentless pressing with clinical finishing against a Paraguay side that had been expected to test the hosts.

Coach Mauricio Pochettino's group managed the second half with composure even after pulling Pulisic at the interval for Sebastian Berhalter, who became just the second son in a father-son pairing to represent the U.S. at a World Cup. Paraguay pulled a goal back through midfielder Mauricio in the 73rd minute, briefly threatening to make the closing stages tense, but Reyna — on as a late substitute — restored the three-goal cushion deep in stoppage time to seal the 4-1 win.

The result was the perfect start to a tournament carrying enormous expectations for the United States, which is co-hosting the expanded 48-team World Cup with Canada and Mexico. The Americans, drawn as favorites in Group D, had faced pointed questions about their form heading into the summer, and a commanding opener against a physical South American opponent offered an emphatic early answer.

The victory ignited celebrations across a soccer-mad host nation eager to see its team make a deep run on home soil. Pulisic ran roughshod over the Paraguayan defense before his halftime exit, Balogun announced himself as a tournament star, and the U.S. served notice that it intends to be more than a ceremonial host. Group play continues with the Americans now positioned to control their own path to the knockout rounds.