The United States delivered one of the most commanding performances of the 2026 FIFA World Cup so far, cruising to a convincing 4-1 victory over Paraguay in their opening group-stage encounter.
Playing in front of home support, the Americans took control from the early stages and never looked back as they overwhelmed Paraguay with pace, intensity and clinical finishing.
The breakthrough came just seven minutes into the match when Paraguay’s D. Bobadilla turned the ball into his own net, handing the hosts an early advantage.
The USA continued to pile pressure on their opponents and doubled the lead in the 31st minute through Folarin Balogun, who finished off a flowing attacking move to put the Americans firmly in charge.
Balogun struck again deep into first-half stoppage time to complete his brace and send the United States into the break with a comfortable 3-0 lead.
Paraguay attempted a response after halftime and pulled one back in the 73rd minute through Mauricio, offering a brief moment of hope.
However, any thoughts of a comeback were ended in stoppage time when Giovanni Reyna added a fourth goal in the 98th minute to seal an emphatic victory.
The result underlined the USA’s attacking strength and early intent in the tournament, with the hosts producing one of the most dominant displays seen so far at the World Cup.
For Paraguay, the defeat leaves work to do in the remaining group fixtures, while the United States will take confidence and momentum into their next match as they continue their push for a deep run on home soil.
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