USA open home World Cup with 4-1 demolition of Paraguay; Pulisic exits with calf injury

Dominant performance

The USMNT needed only seven minutes to seize control when a low cross from Weston McKennie was diverted into his own net by Paraguay's Damian Bobadilla. The hosts never looked back. Christian Pulisic, drifting infield from the left, threaded a pass for Folarin Balogun to fire home the second in the 31st minute, and Balogun added a slick solo goal before the break after a through ball from Malik Tillman. Substitute Giovanni Reyna capped the rout with a curling strike from distance in stoppage time, making the final score 4-1.

The Americans held 65% of possession and adopted an aggressive 3-2-5 shape when on the ball, pinning Paraguay deep. Head coach Mauricio Pochettino described the crowd as "amazing" and said the evening showed that "soccer here in America is massive, it's big. Be careful, other sports."

USA65%

Paraguay35%

USA

65 %

Paraguay

35 %

Data from the article text

Records and milestones

Center-back Chris Richards completed all 84 of his passes, the highest total without a misplacement in a World Cup match since Opta began recording in 1966. He overtook England's John Stones (71 vs. France, 2022) and Brazil's Miranda (59 vs. Costa Rica, 2018), extending a quiet tradition of defensive metronomy.

201859

202271

202684

2018

59 passes

2022

71 passes

2026

84 passes

Data from the article text

Balogun's brace made him only the second American (after Bert Patenaude, 1930) to score multiple goals in a World Cup game. The four-goal haul was also a first for the men's team at a finals.

Pulisic injury concern

The talismanic forward was substituted at halftime after feeling tightness in his calf. "I just got a bit of a kick in the first half, so I'm really hoping that it's nothing," Pulisic told reporters. Pochettino said it was a precaution: "He received a kick in his calf and he felt tight at the end of the first half. We didn't want to take any risks." The USMNT expects him to recover for the next group match against Australia.

Coach and team context

Friday's performance came a year after a public rift between Pulisic and Pochettino, when the player skipped the Gold Cup but wanted to play high-profile friendlies. Pochettino insisted then that "players must listen and adhere to our plan. They cannot dictate their own." The coach, however, chose to focus on the collective after the opener, deflecting individual praise and naming 38-year-old captain Tim Ream as the squad's "positive leader."

The fan experience

More than 70,000 supporters filled SoFi Stadium, though scattered empty seats were visible. Those attending needed the FIFA FWC2026 app to validate tickets, carried only transparent bags through airport-style security, and paid steep concession prices — a beer cost as much as $21.50. The city commissioned shuttle buses to ease traffic, but gridlock still choked roads around the stadium for hours before and after the match.