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| Pulisic and Balogun celebrate a goal against Paraguay, FIFA World Cup 2026 |
The United States made a dream start to their FIFA World Cup 2026 journey with a convincing 4-1 victory over Paraguay in their opening Group D match at Los Angeles Stadium on Friday night.
Playing in front of a passionate home crowd, the tournament co-hosts wasted little time asserting their dominance. The Americans took the lead in the 18th minute when Paraguay defender Fabián Balbuena inadvertently turned the ball into his own net under pressure from the USA attack.
The momentum remained firmly with the hosts as striker Folarin Balogun doubled the advantage in the 31st minute with a composed finish after a well-worked team move. Balogun struck again just before halftime, finding the back of the net in the 44th minute to give the United States a commanding 3-0 lead heading into the break.
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| MVP Balogun |
Mauricio Pochettino's side showcased fluid attacking football, controlling possession and creating numerous chances throughout the opening period. Midfielders Weston McKennie, Tyler Adams and Malik Tillman dictated the tempo, while the defensive partnership of Chris Richards and Tim Ream kept Paraguay's attack largely quiet.
Paraguay struggled to find their rhythm for much of the contest but managed to pull a goal back in the 73rd minute through Julio Enciso, who capitalized on a rare defensive lapse from the Americans to reduce the deficit to 3-1.
Despite the consolation goal, Gustavo Alfaro's men were unable to mount a comeback as the United States comfortably saw out the remaining minutes to secure all three points.
Match Summary
Goals:
18' – Fabián Balbuena (Own Goal) 1-0
31' – Folarin Balogun (USA) 2-0
44' – Folarin Balogun (USA) 3-0
73' – Julio Enciso (Paraguay) 3-1
90+7 - Reyna Giovanni (USA) 4-1
The result gives the USA a perfect start in Group D and boosts their hopes of reaching the knockout stage. For Paraguay, the defeat means they will need positive results in their remaining group matches against Australia and Türkiye to keep their qualification hopes alive.
With confidence high and three valuable points secured, the United States have sent an early message to the rest of the tournament that they intend to make a deep run on home soil.
