Balogun Scores Brace as USA Crush Paraguay 4–1 in World Cup Opener

The United States opened their 2026 World Cup campaign with a commanding 4–1 victory over Paraguay on Friday, delivering a dominant performance in front of a packed crowd at the SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles.

Folarin Balogun led the charge with a brace as the hosts overwhelmed Paraguay with sustained attacking pressure from the outset.

An early breakthrough came when relentless US pressure forced Paraguay’s Damian Bobadilla into an own goal, giving the Americans a fast start that set the tone for the match.

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The hosts controlled proceedings throughout the first half and raced to a 3–0 lead before the break, effectively sealing victory early in the contest.

“Just a great start from the guys. The energy was incredible from the beginning, and we played with real intensity. It’s a deserved win, but it’s only the start for us and we still have a long tournament ahead,” Christian Pulisic said.

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Concerns about the team’s form heading into the tournament, following mixed results in pre-World Cup friendlies, were quickly dismissed by a sharp and confident performance.

Mauricio Pochettino’s side played with fluency and aggression, fully capitalising on home advantage to deliver one of their most convincing recent displays.

Substitute Gio Reyna added a fourth goal late in the game to complete the rout, while Paraguay managed a consolation strike through Brazil-born Mauricio in the second half.

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The match was played in a vibrant atmosphere, with a star-studded crowd of more than 70,000 spectators in attendance for the tournament opener.

The result gives the United States strong momentum heading into their remaining Group D fixtures against Australia and Turkey.

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