The U.S. men’s national soccer team began their World Cup campaign with a convincing victory over Paraguay, securing a 4-1 win at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California. From the start, the U.S. displayed clear dominance.
The match saw the U.S. take an early lead with an own goal from Paraguayan midfielder Damián Bobadilla in the 7th minute. Folarin Balogun, the star striker, strengthened the U.S.’s position by scoring in the 31st minute, slipping the ball past Paraguay’s goalkeeper Orlando Gill. The first half closed with another goal by Balogun, striking into the top left corner during stoppage time.
Paraguay’s midfielder Mauricio managed to score in the 73rd minute, aiming to bridge the gap, but it proved insufficient. In the second half’s stoppage time, Gio Reyna delivered the final goal, marking an emphatic conclusion to the match.
This victory places the U.S. at the top of Group D, which also includes Australia and Turkey. The U.S. will next play against Australia in Seattle on June 19.
The U.S. team had previously scored a total of only three goals in four matches at the Qatar World Cup but exhibited a different level of performance under new coach Mauricio Pochettino’s creative strategy. The match was held in front of a vibrant Los Angeles audience of 70,492.
Balogun, who was born in New York and raised in London, made a memorable World Cup debut with his performance. Choosing to represent the U.S. three years ago, he has quickly become an essential striker for the team.
Christian Pulisic, a key player for AC Milan, contributed significantly by assisting the first two goals. After halftime, Pulisic was substituted by Sebastian Berhalter; his gestures to the family in the stands suggested he was not injured seriously.
Pulisic’s remarkable run and play-making led to the initial scores. In the seventh minute, he delivered an incisive pass to Weston McKennie, setting up the own goal. Post an offside call against Balogun, Pulisic facilitated the second goal with another decisive play.
Just before the first half ended, Malik Tillman assisted Balogun with a strategic long pass, allowing him to score again. Although the U.S. team’s cohesion lessened in Pulisic’s absence during the second half, Reyna’s first World Cup goal completed their triumph.
The match drew attention from numerous celebrities including Tom Cruise, George Lucas, and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, highlighting its significance just miles away from Hollywood.