USA 4–1 Paraguay — Balogun Brace and Reyna Curler Announce the USMNT to the World Cup

The United States men's national team delivered their finest World Cup opening night in history on Friday, June 12, 2026, routing Paraguay 4–1 at a sold-out SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California — in front of Tom Cruise, Halle Berry, David Beckham, George Lucas, Rob Lowe, and Paris Hilton.

It was the USMNT's most complete performance at a World Cup. From the seventh minute onwards, Paraguay had no answer for what the co-hosts threw at them.

According to ESPN, Folarin Balogun became the first American to score two goals in a World Cup match since the inaugural edition in 1930 — a brace that announced the AS Monaco striker as the player US fans have been waiting for. Substitute Giovanni Reyna then delivered the perfect finishing flourish deep in stoppage time, curling a shot into the far corner with the outside of his right foot.

Match Stats

| Stat | USA 🇺🇸 | Paraguay 🇵🇾 |

|---|---|---|

| Goals | 4 | 1 |

| Shots | 17 | 8 |

| Shots on Target | 6 | 1 |

| Possession | 63% | 37% |

| Passes | 577 | 282 |

| Pass Accuracy | 91% | 74% |

| Fouls | 13 | 17 |

| Yellow Cards | 1 | 5 |

| Red Cards | 0 | 0 |

| Offsides | 2 | 1 |

| Corners | 3 | 1 |

Goals:

• 7' ⚽ Damián Bobadilla (OG) — own goal, USA pressure
• 31' ⚽ Folarin Balogun — Pulisic cross, deflection finish
• 45'+5' ⚽ Folarin Balogun — curled into top left corner, Tillman assist
• 73' ⚽ Maurício (PAR) — Paraguay consolation
• 90'+8' ⚽ Giovanni Reyna — outside of right foot, far post

Yellow Cards:

• USA: Christian Pulisic (1 yellow)
• Paraguay: 5 yellows total

Red Cards: Omar Alderete (PAR) — 45th minute

How the Match Unfolded

The game was effectively over inside the first hour.

Christian Pulisic was electric from the opening whistle, pressing Paraguay high and drawing fouls wherever he moved. The pressure paid off in the 7th minute — Pulisic's movement forced a defensive error and Damián Bobadilla turned the ball into his own net to give the US an early lead, per Al Jazeera.

Balogun had a goal disallowed in the 28th minute for offside — both he and Pulisic straying marginally in the build-up — but the Monaco striker was not to be denied for long.

In the 31st minute, Antonee Robinson drove down the left and fed Pulisic, whose cross reached Balogun with a slight deflection. Balogun turned it home. 1–0 became 2–0.

The US were dominant throughout, and the stats reflected it. Tyler Adams and Chris Richards — returning from injury — each completed 100% of their passes in the first half. The US had 75% possession in the opening 45 minutes, per ESPN.

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Balogun's Second and Alderete's Red Card

Balogun's second goal — and the game's most impressive — arrived in the 45+5th minute.

Malik Tillman found Balogun down the right channel. The striker evaded Omar Alderete's challenge, skipped inside Gustavo Gomez, and curled a shot perfectly into the top left corner — a finish so clean that the US substitutes poured onto the field in celebration before being waved back.

According to CBS Sports, Paraguay centre-back Omar Alderete received a red card in the 45th minute — reducing Paraguay to ten men heading into the second half and extinguishing any realistic hope of a comeback.

Pulisic, who had been the game's most dangerous player, did not emerge for the second half — a precautionary substitution by Mauricio Pochettino with the match already won.

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Paraguay Pull One Back, Reyna Seals It

With the US sitting deeper in the second half, Paraguay created a rare opening.

Maurício pulled one back in the 73rd minute — a consolation but nothing more, as the US had long since controlled every meaningful statistic. The visitors finished the match with just 1 shot on target from 8 attempts.

Any lingering doubt was erased in 90+8th minute when substitute Giovanni Reyna received the ball from Alex Freeman on the right, drove into the box unmarked, and curled a perfectly struck shot with the outside of his right boot into the far post. 4–1.

"In the first 45 minutes, I said we were amazing," coach Mauricio Pochettino told reporters after the match, per ESPN. "It's difficult to find a team to play like this. So happy and so proud."

Balogun was equally direct: "It was definitely a statement — three goals in the first half, opening game. I felt like it was a real statement, and that's what you wanted to do."

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What It Means for Group D

The win puts the USMNT top of Group D with 3 points after matchday one.

Paraguay, reduced to ten men from the 45th minute, face a significantly harder path to advancement. Their next fixture is against Australia on June 17.

The US face Australia on June 19 at Lumen Field in Seattle — a team they beat 2–1 in a friendly in 2025. A second win would secure qualification from the group with a match to spare.

What makes Friday's performance analytically significant is not just the scoreline but the manner. The US had 577 passes at 91% accuracy — numbers that belong to the elite end of World Cup team performances. Pochettino's setup pressed high, recycled quickly, and punished Paraguay's disorganisation in the first 45 minutes before managing the game intelligently after the break.

Key Takeaways

• Final score: USA 4–1 Paraguay — SoFi Stadium, Inglewood, June 12, 2026.
• Goals: Bobadilla OG 7', Balogun 31', Balogun 45'+5', Maurício 73' (PAR), Reyna 90'+8'.
• Balogun became the first American to score two World Cup goals in one match since 1930.
• Omar Alderete (PAR) sent off — red card, 45th minute.
• Stats: USA — 17 shots, 63% possession, 577 passes, 91% accuracy, 6 shots on target. Paraguay — 8 shots, 1 on target.
• USA next: vs Australia, June 19, Lumen Field, Seattle.

Sources

• ESPN — Balogun leads USMNT rout of Paraguay in dream World Cup start
• Al Jazeera — USA hit Paraguay for four in dream start to their World Cup campaign
• CBS Sports — USA vs Paraguay score, live updates, World Cup 2026
• FOX Sports — United States vs Paraguay box score, June 12 2026

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