In front of a packed Los Angeles stadium, the United States opened the 2026 World Cup with a 4-1 rout of Paraguay. Christian Pulisic opened the scoring after an own‑goal by Damian Bobadilla, then left the field at halftime with a calf strain. Forward Folarin Balogun seized the chance, netting twice before the break.

Mauricio Pochettino’s side kept the tempo high, rotating players to sustain pressure. Weston McKennie and Antonee Robinson contributed with aggressive off‑the‑ball runs, while Diego Gomez’s pass set up Balogun’s second. Paraguay’s lone reply came from substitute Mauricio, who scored with 17 minutes remaining.

Giovanni Reyna capped the victory, striking from the edge of the box in stoppage time to silence any doubts about the hosts’ intent. The win marks the United States’ joint‑best result in a World Cup and their first knockout‑stage victory in history, hinting at deeper runs in future tournaments.

Pochettino praised his squad’s composure, noting the early pressure of hosting and the need for intelligent play. While a title remains unlikely, the performance positions the USA as a dark horse capable of challenging deeper into the knockout rounds.