Balogun double lifts USA to 4-1 thrashing of Paraguay in World Cup opener
Folarin Balogun scored twice on his World Cup debut as the United States overwhelmed Paraguay 4-1 at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles, igniting home hopes of a deep tournament run.
Dominant first half
Christian Pulisic, the former Borussia Dortmund winger, set the tone early, leaving two defenders behind before crossing for Weston McKennie, whose shot deflected off Damián Bobadilla for an own goal. Balogun then doubled the lead with a deflected pass from Pulisic, and just before half-time he latched onto a long ball, muscled off his marker and curled a left-footed shot into the top corner to make it 3-0. Pulisic was withdrawn at the break with the US already out of sight.
The mother's denied boarding
Balogun could easily have been lining up for England or Nigeria. His mother was refused boarding on a return flight from New York to London while heavily pregnant, forcing her to stay and give birth in Brooklyn. That twist gave him US citizenship. Years later, a social-media campaign flooding his accounts with American flags, plus meetings with Pulisic and McKennie, persuaded him to commit to the Stars and Stripes.
I felt that enormous appreciation from the fans. That made the decision easy for me.
Pochettino's childlike freedom
Head coach Mauricio Pochettino had urged his players to rediscover the joy of the game. His pre-match instruction was to play without pressure or excessive responsibility. The team delivered, pouring forward in waves that left a flat Paraguay defence in tatters.
They should play like children tomorrow - carefree, without pressure, and without being burdened by responsibility.
Hollywood spectacle meets substance
SoFi Stadium opened with a concert by rapper Future before a half-empty arena, a glitzy prelude that drew criticism. Once the match started, the US performance drowned out the noise. Balogun, named Player of the Match, soaked in the moment but kept his celebration plans modest.
Today is a fantastic day. This is my first World Cup, I'm just overjoyed. To be honest, I'll probably just watch some Netflix.
After the final whistle, chants of "USA, USA" echoed through the stands, a sound that belonged to a crowd that had been anything but bored.
