June 13, 2026
The US waited 32 years to play a World Cup match on home soil, and the performance met the anticipation as Folarin Balogun scored two first-half goals in a 4-1 win over Paraguay in the Group D opener on Friday at Inglewood, Calif.
After a seventh-minute own goal put the US in front, Balogun scored in the 31st minute and the fifth minute of first-half stoppage time to give the hosts a 3-0 lead at the break. Mauricio got a goal back for Paraguay back in the 73rd minute, but Gio Reyna capped the match with a brilliant outside-of-the-boot strike deep in second-half stoppage time.
The US got off to a dream start thanks to the own goal by midfielder Damian Bobadilla, the result of a well-crafted build-up started in the back when Alex Freeman pinged the ball to Weston McKennie with space to roam.
McKennie passed left to Christian Pulisic, who slalomed through two defenders and drew a third before passing to the incoming McKennie in the center of the box. The ball deflected off Bobadilla for the third-fastest US World Cup goal in history.
