The United States men’s national team is off to the start it needed. Playing in front of a home crowd in the 2026 FIFA World Cup, the USMNT grabbed an early 1-0 lead against Paraguay in their Group D opener after Damián Bobadilla turned the ball into his own net.
The goal was initially credited to Christian Pulisic, the US captain, whose attacking play forced the error. Whether you call it a Pulisic goal or a Bobadilla gift, the scoreboard reads the same: USA 1, Paraguay 0.
How the goal happened
Pulisic, operating in his usual role as the team’s most dangerous creative outlet, applied early pressure that Paraguay simply couldn’t handle. The sequence ended with Bobadilla, a Paraguayan midfielder, inadvertently directing the ball past his own goalkeeper.
The scoring attribution confusion is worth noting, though. Early reports credited Pulisic directly, while subsequent analysis pointed to the deflection off Bobadilla as the decisive touch. This kind of back-and-forth is common in fast-moving match situations, and official FIFA scorekeepers typically settle the matter within minutes of a review.
