US opens its home World Cup with a
dynamic 4-1 victory over Paraguay, sparked by Balogun's 2 goals
[June 13, 2026]
By GREG BEACHAM
INGLEWOOD, Calif. (AP) — Folarin Balogun fired his second goal into
the top far corner of Paraguay’s net and then led his American
teammates to the corner of their home stadium, reveling in the
frenzy created by their historic first half at their World Cup
opener.
The world’s biggest soccer tournament finally returned to the U.S.
on Friday night after a generation of anticipation.
With this phenomenal match, the Americans also look like they've
arrived.
Balogun scored twice in the Americans' three-goal barrage before
halftime, and the U.S. opened its first home World Cup in 32 years
with its biggest win in the tournament, a dynamic 4-1 victory over
Paraguay.
Christian Pulisic had an assist in a stellar first-half playmaking
performance for the Americans, who enthralled their Southern
California fans with an aggressive attack while streaking to a 3-0
lead — the team's largest in any World Cup game.
“It meant everything for us,” Pulisic said. “A half like that, for
it to go as it did, and have the fans excited about our performance,
it felt amazing.”
Gio Reyna ripped another goal in the dying moments of second-half
injury time, giving the Americans four goals in a World Cup match
for the first time in their tournament history dating to 1930.
This production, this confidence, this dominance — it was nothing
like the vast majority of the Americans' previous performances on
the international stage over the years and decades.
They've won exactly one knockout-round game in the World Cup.
They've almost always struggled to score in the biggest events, most
recently managing only three goals combined in their four matches at
the Qatar World Cup in 2022.
In this pressure-packed home opener, the Americans were a team
transformed while playing in coach Mauricio Pochettino’s more
creative system in front of a passionate, star-studded Los Angeles
crowd of 70,492. Led by the elite talent and coach-inspired
fearlessness of Balogun, Pulisic and Weston McKennie up front, the
U.S. finally had its breakthrough performance at SoFi Stadium.
“It’s difficult to compare with the past,” said Pochettino, who took
over in late 2024. “I don’t know what happened in the past. I think
we need to talk about today, because it was a great match. It was
amazing for our fans to see, to watch this type of game, and today,
I am so proud and we are so proud. I think we are winning a lot of
fans, adding fans for the sport here in America.”
Not everything went perfectly: Pulisic was replaced by Sebastian
Berhalter at halftime for precautionary reasons. Pochettino said
Pulisic was kicked in the back of his left calf during a training
session this week, and felt some subsequent tightness during the
match.
“Staying positive,” Pulisic said. “I don’t think it’s anything.”
[to top of second column] |
United States' Folarin Balogun (20) celebrates scoring his side's
second goal against Paraguay during the World Cup Group D soccer
match in Inglewood, Calif., near Los Angeles, Friday, June 12, 2026.
(AP Photo/Andre Penner)
Maurício scored in the second half for Paraguay,
but La Albirroja fell too far behind early in their first World Cup
match in 16 years.
“The U.S. won this match very clearly and fairly,” Paraguay coach
Gustavo Alfaro said through an interpreter. “They dominated
tactically, technically and physically as well. ... This team is a
complex challenge because they have answers to everything you throw
at them.”
After the U.S. went ahead on an early own-goal
created by Pulisic's playmaking, Balogun scored in the 31st minute
and again in the fifth minute of first-half injury time.
The New York-born, London-raised striker made his World Cup debut
with the first multigoal performance from a U.S. player in the
tournament since 1930. Balogun chose to represent the U.S. three
years ago instead of staying in the English system, where he likely
would have struggled to make the Three Lions' roster — and the
24-year-old Monaco professional has swiftly provided the top-level
striker play historically lacking on U.S. rosters.
“Poch has said many times, ‘Why not us?’” Balogun said. “We have to
believe. You can’t do anything if you don’t believe in yourself.”
Pulisic created the first two U.S. goals with exceptional runs down
the left side. In the seventh minute, the AC Milan standout cleverly
split two defenders and passed to McKennie, whose centering touch
hit Paraguay midfielder Damián Bobadilla’s outstretched foot and
went in, setting off pandemonium in the stands.
The Americans gradually amplified their attack centered around
Pulisic’s runs — and three minutes after an apparent goal from
Balogun was erased by an offside call, Pulisic again drove the left
side and got a deflected pass to the trailing Balogun, who banged it
home.
Malik Tillman then made a perfectly weighted pass in injury time to
Balogun, who sidled through the Paraguay defense and beautifully
found the top shelf.
The Americans were less cohesive without Pulisic in the second half,
but Reyna still added the finishing touch by gliding into the box
and toe-flicking home his first World Cup goal. The moment was sweet
for Reyna, who barely played at the Qatar World Cup amid a messy
family dispute with former U.S. coach Gregg Berhalter.
Dozens of American celebrities and cultural icons turned out 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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