The United States launched their home World Cup with a commanding 4-1 victory over Paraguay on June 13, 2026, setting a new record for goals scored by the USMNT in a single World Cup match. Folarin Balogun’s first-half brace was the headline act, while substitute Giovanni Reyna added a fourth deep in stoppage time.
🔥 Quick Read
- USA 4-1 Paraguay in Group D opener at SoFi Stadium
- Balogun scored twice, first US brace at WC since 1930
- Paraguay own goal opened scoring in the 7th minute
- Reyna sealed it late as a second-half substitute
- Pulisic left the pitch at half-time with a calf knock
Balogun and Reyna Power USA to Record World Cup Opening
The US were ahead inside seven minutes when a Paraguayan own goal, Damian Bobadilla turning the ball into his own net, handed Mauricio Pochettino’s side the perfect platform. Balogun then took over, finishing in the 31st minute and adding a second right at the end of first-half stoppage time to become the first American to score twice in a World Cup match since the inaugural tournament in 1930.
Paraguay pulled one back through Mauricio in the 73rd minute, but the response from Pochettino’s side was immediate in spirit: substitute Gio Reyna, brought on late, completed the scoring in the 90th minute to make it 4-1. The three-goal winning margin is the United States’ largest at a World Cup since their pair of 3-0 wins at the very first edition in 1930.
The one concern for the hosts was Christian Pulisic, who was substituted at half-time after receiving a kick to his left calf. Pulisic told reporters afterward he was taken off as a precaution and was ‘really hoping that it’s nothing,’ though his availability for the next group fixture remains to be confirmed.
Own Goal, Balogun Brace Set the Tone
Bobadilla’s 7th-minute own goal gave the US an early foothold and shifted the dynamic of the match from the outset. Balogun then struck in the 31st minute and converted again deep into first-half added time, making the interval score an emphatic 3-0.
Paraguay offered a late response through Mauricio at 73 minutes, but any hope of a comeback was erased when Reyna, introduced as a substitute, finished with the outside of his right foot in the 90th minute to secure the scoreline.
Balogun Seizes His World Cup Moment
Folarin Balogun was the undisputed standout performer on June 13. Born in New York City and raised in London, the striker chose the United States in 2023 despite also being eligible for England and Nigeria, and he repaid that decision on the grandest possible stage.
His first-half brace, the first by a US player at a World Cup since 1930, underlined his quality as both a finisher and a focal point for Pochettino’s attack. He was rated the top player on the pitch by match data, and after the final whistle he described the evening as ‘a real dream.’
Pochettino Delighted, But Pulisic Fitness Looms Large
Mauricio Pochettino said he found it ‘difficult to find a team to play like this’ in the first 45 minutes, expressing open pride in a performance that has immediately set the United States as a team to watch in Group D. The result puts the US top of their group after matchday one and gives them significant goal difference advantage heading into their next fixtures.
The Pulisic calf concern is the most pressing issue before the next group match. Paraguay, meanwhile, must regroup quickly: several of their players were booked across the 90 minutes, and the scale of the defeat leaves Gustavo Alfaro’s side needing wins in their remaining group games to advance. Both teams will be watching the rest of Group D closely as the qualification picture takes shape.
USA move to the top of Group D with three points and a four-goal tally; the fitness of Pulisic before their next fixture is the immediate question Pochettino must answer.
