INGLEWOOD, Calif. — The United States men’s national team opened its World Cup campaign with a 4-1 victory over Paraguay, a performance that combined attacking verve and sustained midfield pressure, according to the match report. Christian Pulisic was described as electric, involved in the first two U.S. goals before leaving at halftime.
The midfield trio of Tyler Adams, Malik Tillman and Weston McKennie controlled long stretches with slick combinations and defensive work when required. The back line, which welcomed the return of center back Chris Richards, was largely solid though it conceded Mauricio’s 73rd-minute goal.
Folarin Balogun produced a standout outing, scoring twice for the U.S. The AS Monaco forward, who switched his international allegiance from England in 2023, opened with a composed finish and later struck a top-corner blast after fending off a tackle. The report noted Balogun had been viewed as a missing piece for the U.S. since his switch and that he had previously met expectations in moments such as the 2023 CONCACAF Nations League final win over Canada.
Historically, the performance was notable: the last U.S. player to score more than once in a World Cup match was Bert Patenaude, who recorded a hat trick in 1930, also against Paraguay. Goals have been scarce for the U.S. at World Cups in recent decades, with 28 scored across the previous eight editions; the report said the four goals in this match were the team’s most in a World Cup game.
The scoring sequence began in the seventh minute when McKennie set Pulisic into space, who returned a feed that deflected off Damián Bobadilla into the Paraguay net. Balogun added a second in the 31st minute from a Pulisic cross and completed his brace after Tillman released him into space and he finished emphatically. Pulisic left at halftime after taking a kick to the left calf and told Fox Sports he was substituted as a precaution, expressing hope he would be fine in the coming days.
