United States Opens World Cup With 4-1 Win Over Paraguay
The United States began the 2026 World Cup with a convincing 4-1 victory over Paraguay at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles, in front of more than 70,000 spectators. The hosts scored early through an own goal by Bobadilla in the 7th minute, then doubled the lead with a Balogun brace in the 31st minute and first-half stoppage time, 45+5.
Paraguay briefly responded when Mauricio scored in the 73rd minute, but the Americans closed out the match in emphatic fashion. Substitute Reyna added the fourth goal in the 90+7th minute to complete the rout.
The result gave the U.S. a strong start to the tournament on home soil and reinforced the sense that this current generation, led by new coach Mauricio Pochettino, is trying to change the long-standing view that American soccer lags behind other sports in the country. The article notes that the U.S. is usually associated with baseball, football, hockey, and basketball, not soccer, but this team looked more capable than previous American sides. The match took place on the opening day of the 2026 World Cup, published on June 13, 2026.
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