The United States began their FIFA World Cup campaign in emphatic fashion, defeating Paraguay 4-1 in their Group D opener in Los Angeles, with former Arsenal striker Folarin Balogun scoring twice to lead the co-hosts to a convincing victory. Balogun delivered a standout performance that placed him in the history……
The United States began their FIFA World Cup campaign in emphatic fashion, defeating Paraguay 4-1 in their Group D opener in Los Angeles, with former Arsenal striker Folarin Balogun scoring twice to lead the co-hosts to a convincing victory.
Balogun delivered a standout performance that placed him in the history books as only the second American player to score more than once in a World Cup match.
The feat was last achieved by Bert Patenaude, who recorded the tournament’s first hat-trick during the inaugural World Cup in 1930, coincidentally also against Paraguay.
The result also equalled the United States’ biggest-ever World Cup victory, matching the 3-0 wins over Paraguay and Belgium in 1930 when the Americans finished third in the competition.
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Backed by a passionate home crowd, Mauricio Pochettino’s side made a dream start, taking the lead after just seven minutes. Christian Pulisic sparked the move with a burst between two defenders before finding Weston McKennie, whose low cross was inadvertently turned into his own net by Paraguay midfielder Damian Bobadilla.
The hosts appeared to have doubled their advantage midway through the first half when Balogun found the net, but the effort was ruled out for offside.
The Monaco forward would not be denied for long, however, as he fired home in the 31st minute after being picked out by Pulisic.
Balogun struck again before halftime to put the game firmly in the United States’ control. Latching onto a precise through ball from Malik Tillman, the 24-year-old evaded a challenge from Omar Alderete before curling a superb finish beyond goalkeeper Orlando Gill and into the top corner.
Although the Americans continued to dominate after the break, Paraguay pulled a goal back against the run of play. Brazilian-born forward Mauricio was released by Julio Enciso and calmly slotted past goalkeeper Matt Freese to reduce the deficit.
Any hopes of a Paraguayan comeback were extinguished in dramatic fashion with the final kick of the match. Substitute Giovanni Reyna produced a moment of brilliance, curling a spectacular 20-yard effort into the net with the outside of his right foot to complete a memorable night for the hosts.
The striker arrived at the World Cup in impressive form after scoring nine goals in 13 league appearances for Monaco during the 2025-26 season, and his display against Paraguay suggested he could play a leading role in the Americans’ quest for a deep run in the tournament.
The United States will continue their Group D campaign against Australia on June 19, while Paraguay will attempt to recover when they face Turkey on June 20.
