A team transformed under a new coach, playing a more creative system
On a Friday night in Inglewood, the United States opened a home World Cup for the first time in a generation by dismantling Paraguay 4-1 — a result that felt less like a single match and more like a declaration. Folarin Balogun, a New Yorker raised in London who chose his birth nation over England, scored twice in a first half that rewrote the program's own historical limits. Under coach Mauricio Pochettino, a team long defined by its ceiling now seems to be testing whether that ceiling exists at all.
- The U.S. built a three-goal halftime lead — the largest in program World Cup history — before most of the 70,492 fans at SoFi Stadium had settled into their seats.
- Christian Pulisic was everywhere in the first half, splitting defenses and threading passes with a creativity that Paraguay had no answer for, before leaving at halftime with a precautionary calf injury that briefly dimmed the mood.
- Balogun's two-goal debut marked the first multigoal World Cup performance by an American since 1930, answering years of questions about whether this team had a striker capable of finishing at the highest level.
- Paraguay pulled one back in the second half and the American attack lost some of its edge without Pulisic, but the match was already decided — Gio Reyna's late toe-flick made it four and gave the scoreline its full, historic weight.
- The result lands as a sharp rebuke to Qatar 2022, where the U.S. scored just three goals across four matches — a number now surpassed in a single evening.
The United States opened its first home World Cup in 32 years with a 4-1 demolition of Paraguay on Friday night in Inglewood, California — a performance that felt like a turning of the page. Folarin Balogun scored twice in a dominant first half, and the Americans led 3-0 at the break, the largest halftime margin in program World Cup history.
Christian Pulisic was the architect of the early chaos, his runs down the left flank creating space and confusion. The opening goal came in the seventh minute when his pass deflected off a Paraguayan midfielder and into the net off Weston McKennie's touch. Balogun then finished cleanly from a Pulisic delivery, and before halftime, he collected a long ball from Malik Tillman and fired a brilliant shot into the far top corner. Three goals in 45 minutes — more than the U.S. had ever scored in an entire World Cup match before.
Balogun, 24, born in New York and raised in London, had turned down the English system three years ago to represent the country of his birth. The decision looked prescient. His two-goal debut was the first multigoal World Cup performance by an American since 1930, and it answered years of questions about whether this team had a finisher capable of operating at the highest level.
Pulisic left at halftime with a precautionary calf injury, and the second half lost some of its sharpness. Paraguay scored through Maurício, but the match was long decided. Gio Reyna, seeking redemption after a painful Qatar experience, glided into the box late in injury time and toe-flicked home the fourth — the first time the U.S. had ever scored four goals in a single World Cup match.
The contrast with Qatar 2022 was impossible to ignore. Under Mauricio Pochettino's more aggressive, creative system, the Americans had done in one game what took four matches four years ago. Whether one statement performance against a Paraguay side returning to the World Cup after a 16-year absence means anything lasting remains to be seen — but for one night in Inglewood, the U.S. looked like a team that finally belongs on the world's biggest stage.
The United States men's soccer team opened its first World Cup on home soil in 32 years with a statement of intent, dismantling Paraguay 4-1 on Friday night in Inglewood, California. Folarin Balogun scored twice in a dominant first half, and the Americans built a three-goal lead before the break—the largest halftime advantage in the program's World Cup history. It was a performance that felt like a rebuke to the team's recent past, a reminder that something fundamental had shifted.
Christian Pulisic orchestrated much of the early chaos, his runs down the left flank creating space and opportunity with a precision that seemed to catch Paraguay off guard. In the seventh minute, Pulisic split two defenders and found Weston McKennie, whose touch deflected off Paraguay midfielder Damián Bobadilla and into the net. The SoFi Stadium crowd erupted. Three minutes after Balogun had a goal ruled out for offside, Pulisic drove the left side again, and this time his deflected pass found Balogun at the trailing edge of the box. Balogun finished cleanly. Then, with the first half winding down, Malik Tillman sent a long pass to a streaking Balogun, who created space with a touch and fired a brilliant shot into the far top corner. Three goals in 45 minutes. The Americans had never scored more than three in an entire World Cup match before.
Balogun, 24, a Monaco professional who was born in New York and raised in London, made his World Cup debut with the first multigoal performance from an American player since 1930. He had chosen to represent the United States three years ago, turning away from the English system where a roster spot seemed unlikely. The decision looked prescient now. For years, American teams had lacked a top-level striker—someone who could finish at the highest level with consistency and composure. Balogun appeared to be that player.
Pulisic, the AC Milan standout, left the match at halftime after being kicked in the back of his left calf. The injury was precautionary, and Pulisic himself seemed unbothered. "Staying positive," he said. "I don't think it's anything." Sebastian Berhalter replaced him, and the American attack lost some of its sharpness in the second half. Paraguay scored through Maurício, but the damage was done. The visitors had fallen too far behind in those opening 45 minutes to mount any real threat.
Gio Reyna added a fourth goal in the dying moments of injury time, gliding into the box and toe-flicking home his first World Cup goal. It was a moment of vindication for Reyna, who had barely played at the Qatar World Cup four years earlier amid a messy family dispute with then-coach Gregg Berhalter. The final tally—four goals in a single World Cup match—was a first for the United States.
The contrast with Qatar was stark. Four years ago, the Americans scored only three goals across their entire four-match tournament. Now, under new coach Mauricio Pochettino, they had scored four in a single game, playing a more creative, aggressive system that seemed to unlock possibilities the team had struggled to find before. The crowd of 70,492 at SoFi Stadium included dozens of celebrities—Tom Cruise, George Lucas, Bill Gates, Halle Berry, Leonardo DiCaprio, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar—all watching a team that looked, for the first time in years, like it belonged on the world's biggest stage.
What happens next will matter. One dominant performance against a Paraguay team in their first World Cup in 16 years does not guarantee anything. But it suggested that the Americans, playing at home, with a new tactical approach and a striker who can finish, might be capable of something the program has never quite managed before.
Notable Quotes
Staying positive. I don't think it's anything.— Christian Pulisic, on his calf injury
The Hearth Conversation Another angle on the story
Why does Balogun's performance matter so much? He's one player.
Because for decades, the U.S. has had a striker problem. Talented midfielders, solid defenders, but no one who could reliably put the ball in the net at the highest level. Balogun is 24, he chose America over England, and he just scored twice in a World Cup opener. That's not just one player—that's a missing piece finally in place.
And Pulisic leaving at halftime—how much does that change things?
It changes the rhythm. You saw it in the second half. Pulisic was creating space with his movement, his runs. Without him, the Americans were less fluid. But the fact that they'd already built a 3-0 lead meant Paraguay couldn't exploit it.
Four goals in one match. That's the headline. But what does it really tell us?
It tells us Pochettino's system is working. The old approach was more cautious, more defensive-minded. This is aggressive, creative, built around movement and space. Against Paraguay, it was devastating. The question is whether it holds up against teams that are better organized and more dangerous on the counter.
The celebrities in the stands—does that matter?
It matters symbolically. It says the World Cup is here, it's American, and people care. Whether it translates to sustained support depends on what happens next. One win feels good. A run to the knockout stages feels different.
What's the real story underneath this?
It's about a program that's been searching for an identity finally finding one. New coach, new tactical approach, a striker who can finish, playing at home. Everything aligned for one night. Now we find out if it was a beginning or just a very good moment.