U.S. opens World Cup with 4-1 win over Paraguay
The U.S. men's national soccer team began its World Cup campaign with a 4-1 win over Paraguay at Los Angeles Stadium in Inglewood, California, in the first FIFA World Cup match held on U.S. soil in more than three decades, a Qazinform News Agency correspondent reports.
The U.S. took the lead in the seventh minute after a Weston McKennie pass deflected off Paraguay defender Damian Bobadilla and went into the net as an own goal.
Folarin Balogun added two goals before halftime. His first came in the 31st minute after Christian Pulisic sent in a cross, while his second arrived in first-half stoppage time, when he found space between defenders and struck the ball into the upper corner.
Pulisic was replaced at halftime by Sebastian Berhalter. After the match, Pulisic said he had taken a knock to his calf in the first half and hoped the injury was not serious. Head coach Mauricio Pochettino said he expected Pulisic to be available for the next match.
Paraguay scored in the 73rd minute through midfielder Mauricio. Gio Reyna, who came on as a substitute, restored the three-goal margin with a goal in stoppage time.
Balogun’s two-goal performance marked the first World Cup brace by a U.S. player since 1930. Born in New York City to Nigerian parents and raised in London, Balogun chose to represent the United States in 2023.
The result also set a scoring mark for the U.S. men, who had not previously scored more than three goals in a World Cup match.
The U.S. will next face Australia on June 19 in Seattle before closing the group stage against Turkey on June 25 in Los Angeles.
Earlier, Qazinform News Agency reported that Bosnia and Herzegovina midfielder Ivan Bašić, who plays for Astana in Kazakhstan’s Premier League, provided the assist for Bosnia and Herzegovina’s opening goal in their 2026 FIFA World Cup opener against Canada.
