USA beats Paraguay in World Cup opener

The USA men’s national team opened their 2026 World Cup campaign with a resounding 4-1 victory over Paraguay at Los Angeles Stadium on June 13, 2026, in front of 70,492 fans. Embracing the Showtime ethos of the Los Angeles Lakers, the US squad demonstrated a dominant performance.

Coach Mauricio Pochettino emphasized quiet confidence leading up to the match and looked for his players to take joy in their play. They responded with a dazzling first half. Early on, Tim Ream sent a well-placed ball to Alex Freeman, who found Weston McKennie. McKennie passed to Christian Pulisic, whose effort deflected off Damián Bobadilla into the net, giving the US a lead just under ten minutes into the match.

The US showed relentless pressure after their first goal. Folarin Balogun made a memorable World Cup debut, scoring twice in quick succession. His first goal came in the 31st minute from a Pulisic cross, and he completed his double with a final kick of the half, skillfully navigating past Gustavo Gómez to find the top corner.

Pulisic was substituted at half-time for precautionary reasons, avoiding further injury as Paraguay attempted to fight back. The second half saw Paraguay tighten their formation and mark Balogun closely, leading to a goal in the 73rd minute. Orlando Gill's restart set off a sequence that ended with substitute Maurício scoring for Paraguay, providing a spark of hope after they had struggled for much of the match.

The US defense showed vulnerabilities, with potential areas for upcoming opponents Australia and Turkey to exploit. However, they still maintained dominance in the match. In a late flourish, substitute Gio Reyna scored, sealing the win for the US. While the US team faced pressure as co-hosts, they successfully proved their readiness for the tournament in this high-stakes opener.