The USA defeated Paraguay in the FIFA World Cup 2026, 4-1. Image Credit: ANI
FIFA World Cup 2026, USA vs Paraguay: Thanks to outstanding performances from Folarin Balogun and Christian Pulisic, the host United States defeated Paraguay 4-1 on Friday to start their FIFA World Cup 2026 campaign. Balogun scored twice, and Pulisic put on a dominant performance that caused continual trouble for the Paraguayan defense and was crucial to several attacking attempts as the hosts took control of the game right away.
Opening Statement. 🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/yhWOQbVlV8
— U.S. Soccer Men’s National Team (@USMNT) June 13, 2026
Pulisic split the defense with a beautiful pass to Weston McKennie in the seventh minute, and Damian Bobadilla turned the ball into his own net, giving the USA an early lead. In the 31st minute, Balogun completed a superb cross from Pulisic to double the lead.
The forward added his second goal deep into stoppage time (90+8′), dribbling past two defenders before sealing a comfortable win for the hosts, who were in full control throughout the match. Paraguay briefly reduced the deficit in the 73rd minute through Mauricio Magalhães, but failed to mount a sustained comeback against a dominant US side.
Late in the match, Gio Reyna added further gloss to the scoreline with a stunning strike from distance, finding the top corner to cap off an emphatic opening win for the hosts.
Head coach Mauricio Pochettino opted to rest Pulisic at half-time, replacing him with Sebastian Berhalter, as the USA managed their squad with an eye on a long tournament ahead.
The United States will next face Australia on the 20th June in Seattle. They will end their group stage with a clash against Turkey on the 26th, once again at the Los Angeles Stadium. Meanwhile, Paraguay, which started its campaign with a huge loss against the USA, will face Turkey on the 20th at the San Francisco Bay Arena in Santa Clara. The South American nation will finish its group stage against Australia in Santa Clara itself.
In another Group fixture, Canada began their campaign with a 1-1 draw against Bosnia and Herzegovina, with Cyle Larin scoring a late equaliser in the 78th minute to rescue a point. It was a huge result for the co-hosts as they earned their first point in the FIFA World Cup. Earlier, the Canadian side had lost each of their previous six games in the tournament.
Pragun is a passionate cricket follower and writer who deeply loves the game. Having completed his education with a degree in Journalism and Mass Communication, he has an experience of almost two years in diverse fields. He is known for his statistical and analytical articles. Pragun tries to bring life to his articles by adding a layer of enthusiasm from the perspective of a hardcore fan. Apart from writing cricket articles, he sometimes appears on YouTube videos on a friend’s podcast.
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