USA beats Paraguay 4-1 in World Cup opener

The United States men’s national soccer team made things easy for Paraguay in its World Cup opener Friday, beating the South American team 4-1 at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California.

The United States dominated from the start. Their first goal came on an own goal in the 7th minute, when the ball ricocheted off Paraguayan midfielder Damián Bobadilla and into the net.

Star forward Folarin Balogun extended the United States’ lead to 2-0 by sliding the ball past Paraguayan goalkeeper Orlando Gill in the 31st minute. Then, in first-half stoppage time, Balogun added a second with a brilliant strike into the top left corner of the goal.

Folarin Balogun of the United States celebrates a goal with teammates during the World Cup Group D match against Paraguay at SoFi Stadium on June 12, 2026, in Inglewood, California. José Breton/Action Pics/NurPhoto via Getty Images

Midfielder Mauricio scored for Paraguay in the 73rd minute, but it was too little, too late. And in stoppage time in the second half, winger Gio Reyna added the exclamation point with a superb goal.

The victory gives the United States three points and puts them at the top of Group D, which includes Australia and Turkey, who will face each other on Saturday. The United States’ next match is against Australia on June 19 in Seattle.

The United States scored just three goals total in its four World Cup matches in Qatar four years ago, and it had never scored more than three in a World Cup match. But the Americans were a transformed team playing in new coach Mauricio Pochettino’s more creative system in front of a passionate, star-studded Los Angeles crowd of 70,492.

U.S. forward Folarin Balogun (20) celebrates his team’s third goal against Paraguay with teammates during the World Cup Group D soccer match in Inglewood, California, June 12, 2026. AP Photo/Andre Penner

Balogun, born in New York and raised in London, made his World Cup debut with the first multi-goal performance by an American player in the tournament since 1930. Balogun chose to represent the United States three years ago instead of remaining in the English system, where he likely would have struggled to make the Three Lions — and the 24-year-old Monaco professional quickly provided the high-level attacking play that American teams had historically lacked.

Christian Pulisic, who scored the first goal, was replaced by Sebastian Berhalter at halftime, but the United States did not immediately say whether the AC Milan striker was injured. Pulisic appeared to signal to his family in the stands that he was fine.

Pulisic created the first two American goals with exceptional runs down the left side. In the seventh minute, he cleverly separated two defenders and passed to Weston McKennie, whose central touch hit the outstretched foot of Paraguayan midfielder Damián Bobadilla and went in, sparking pandemonium in the SoFi Stadium stands.

The Americans gradually amped up their attack centered around Pulisic’s runs – and three minutes after an apparent Balogun goal was erased by an offside call, Pulisic again drove down the left and got a deflected pass to the late Balogun, who knocked it home.

As first half injury time drew to a close, Malik Tillman played a long pass to Balogun, who held on to create space and fired a brilliant shot into the far top corner.

The Americans were less cohesive without Pulisic in the second half, but Reyna still added the finishing touch by sliding into the box and scoring his first World Cup goal with his foot. The moment was sweet for Reyna, who barely played at the World Cup in Qatar amid a complicated family dispute with former U.S. coach Gregg Berhalter.

Dozens of American celebrities and cultural icons were on hand for the match 10 miles south of Hollywood, including Tom Cruise, George Lucas, Bill Gates, Halle Berry, Leonardo DiCaprio and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.

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