U.S. Opens World Cup With 4-1 Win Over Paraguay in Los Angeles

INGLEWOOD, Calif. — The United States opened its home World Cup with a 4-1 victory over Paraguay on Friday night at SoFi Stadium, an emphatic start for a team hoping to make a deep run on home soil.

The Americans took the lead in the seventh minute when Paraguay’s Damián Bobadilla put the ball into his own net. Striker Folarin Balogun then scored twice, in the 31st minute and in first-half stoppage time, to give the hosts a 3-0 halftime lead.

Paraguay pulled a goal back in the 73rd minute through Maurício, but Gio Reyna sealed the win deep in second-half stoppage time, according to match data from FIFA.

Group D Outlook

The victory puts the United States in a strong position in Group D, which also includes Australia and Turkey. The Americans next face Australia on June 19 in Seattle before returning to Inglewood to play Turkey on June 25.

The United States is co-hosting the tournament with Canada and Mexico. It is the first World Cup to feature 48 teams, expanded from 32, with the top two teams in each group and the best third-place finishers advancing to a new round of 32.

Pochettino’s First World Cup

The match was the first World Cup game for head coach Mauricio Pochettino, the Argentine former Tottenham and Chelsea manager hired to lead the team through the home tournament. The U.S. entered the tournament ranked 17th in the FIFA men’s world rankings.

Christian Pulisic, the AC Milan forward and the team’s biggest star, is playing in his second World Cup. He has scored 33 goals for the U.S., fifth most among American men. Players returning from the 2022 squad include Tim Weah, Reyna, Tim Ream, Matt Turner and Cristian Roldan.

Expectations at Home

The United States reached the round of 16 at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar before losing to the Netherlands. Expectations are higher this time, with the team playing in front of home crowds and a generation of players who have developed at top European clubs.

The 1994 World Cup, the last hosted by the United States, helped spur the creation of Major League Soccer and a long-term rise in the sport’s popularity in the country. Organizers and U.S. Soccer officials hope the 2026 tournament will have a similar effect.

Friday’s convincing result gave fans reason for optimism, though Pochettino’s side will face tougher tests as the tournament progresses into the knockout rounds.