U.S. opens FIFA World Cup with emphatic 4-1 win over Paraguay

The U.S. Men’s National Team opened their 2026 FIFA World Cup campaign with an emphatic 4-1 win over Paraguay at a packed SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles on Friday night, riding an own goal and first half brace from Falorin Balogun and second half stoppage time from Gio Reyna to their highest scoring World Cup performance.

Hershey, Pa. native Christian Pulisic was cooking early for the U.S., splitting defenders on a run into the box that led to an own goal in just the 7th minute, the earliest ever scored by the U.S. in the World Cup. Balogun sc0red his first ever World Cup goal on an assist from Pulisic in the 31st minute and added a second in first half stoppage time with a curling left-footed strike after being played into the box by Malik Tillman.

Balogun’s braced was the second multi-goal performance for a USMNT player in a World Cup and the first since Bert Patenaude at the 1930 FIFA World Cup.

Reyna rounded out the scoring with a lovely outside of the foot strike deep in second half stoppage time to put an exclamation point on the U.S.’s fourth World Cup-opening victory and first since a 2-1 win over Ghana at the 2014 World Cup.

Pulisic, the lone player left from the team when they failed to qualify for the World Cup in 2018, subbed out at the half as a precaution after receiving a knock during his standout first half performance. He was replaced by Vancouver Whitecaps midfielder Sebastian Berhalter.

Wayne, Pa. native Matt Freese started the match in goal for the U.S. and made a key intervention on Paraguay’s first chance of the night. Mauricio’s 73rd minute goal spoiled the clean sheet for the former Philadelphia Union goalkeeper, who became the first active MLS goalkeeper to start in a World Cup match.

Former Philadelphia Union players Mark McKenzie, Auston Trusty and Brenden Aaronson did not featured in the match. Philadelphia Union goalkeeper Andrew Rick, who is a training keeper with the USMNT, could be spotted on the field post-game in the team huddle.

The win puts the U.S. in the driver’s seat in their group ahead of their match in Seattle against Australia next Friday at 3 p.m.

Matthew Ralph

Matthew Ralph is the managing editor of Philadelphia Soccer Now. He's covered soccer at all levels for a decade in the Philadelphia region and has also written for TheCup.us, NPSL, PrepSoccer and other publications. He lives with his wife and two young children in Broomall, Pa., but grew up in South Jersey and is originally from Kansas.

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