June 12, 2026
Matthew Childs/Reuters
Forward Folarin Balogun scored two of USA's three first-half goals in a World Cup opening round toppling of Paraguay.
While the Delaware Valley preparing for the onset of 2026 World Cup games being played in South Philly, and the nine nations that will be coming to the area, Team USA gave the region a savory appetizer, from thousands of miles away.
The U.S. men's national team – hardly considered among the favorites to win the Cup – delivered a slaughter to Paraguay, 4-1, at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles on Friday night, a resounding statement out west in Group D play.
It was the most goals the United States had ever scored in a FIFA World Cup match.
Three USA goals came in the first half as the national team shook off some defensive concerns entering the tournament coming out of their two friendlies against Sengal and Germany in which they allowed four total goals, two in each game.
Thanks to an early own goal, followed by two goals from forward Folarin Balogun, USA boxed Paraguay into a corner early, building a lead that Paraguay, which didn't qualify for the 2022 Cup, couldn't surmount, even with a second-half goal that came in the 73rd minute.
USA took the 1-0 lead just seven minutes into the first half on an own goal from Paraguay's Damián Bobadilla, but USA star and Hershey native Chrisian Pulisic served as the catalyst, splitting a double team with some fancy footwork before passing off to Weston McKinney, whose shot grazed Bobadilla's right foot before going into the far side of the goal.
OWN GOAL. 1-0 USA! 🇺🇸
— FOX Sports (@FOXSports) June 13, 2026
THE @USMNT SCORES FIRST AND LOS ANGELES IS ABSOLUTELY ELECTRIC! pic.twitter.com/tEbJU8E9PX
In the 31st minute, Pulisic helped add to the USA lead when he found Balogun with a cross in front of the Paraguay goal, a picturesque setup by the AC Milan star for the Brooklyn-born Balogun.
FLO BALOGUN. FOR AMERICA! 🇺🇸
— FOX Sports (@FOXSports) June 13, 2026
His first career FIFA World Cup goal doubles the @USMNT advantage over Paraguay pic.twitter.com/b5jXJgNdu7
Balogun, a striker for Monaco for Ligue 1 when he's not making history for Team USA, moved to London as an infant and has Nigerian heritage but chose to play for USA over the other two national teams.
Playing in his first World Cup, Balogun became the first USA men's national team player to have a multi-goal game in nearly a century.
THE FIRST MULTI-GOAL WORLD CUP GAME BY A USMNT PLAYER SINCE 1930 🤩
— ESPN Insights (@ESPNInsights) June 13, 2026
Have a night, Folarin Balogun 🔥 pic.twitter.com/0UfkfYVwt0
Even after Paraguay got one back on Maurício's goal in the second half, USA kept up the pressure, getting off several shots on goal late in the match and, in the final minute, sealing the nail in Paraguay's coffin when Giovanni Reyna got into the box and fired a shot into the far post for the team's historic fourth goal.
GIO REYNA WITH CHERRY ON TOP! 🇺🇸@USMNT WINS 4-1! pic.twitter.com/sYnNXYdIWe
— FOX Sports (@FOXSports) June 13, 2026
USA outshot Paraguay for the game, 16-9, but 13 of those 16 came inside the box compared to Paraguay's four, an indicator of the offensive pressure USA put on Paraguay for almost the entire match.
But the USA defense, with Chris Richards back and starting despite suffering an ankle injury with his club in May that kept him out of the friendlies, limited Paraguay's scoring opportunities to make sure the early lead held, and USA exited the pitch with an extremely impressive win.
USA, which advanced to the knockout round of the 2022 World Cup after failing to qualify in 2018, will play its next game against at 3 p.m. EST Wednesday against Australia at Lumen Field in Seattle.
The biggest question facing Team USA going forward is the status of Pulisic, who didn't play the entire second half. The FOX broadcast crew wasn't able to get a specific reason for the star's absence.
After the match, The Athletic's Tom Bogert reported that USA coach Mauricio Pochettino said Pulisic "felt tight" after getting kicked in the calf and was subbed out mainly for precaution.
🇺🇸 Mauricio Pochettino tells FOX that Christian Pulisic got a kick in the calf and started to feel tight:
— Tom Bogert (@tombogert) June 13, 2026
“We didn't want to take any risks.”
Pulisic adds he was "subbed off as a precaution." pic.twitter.com/JgD7gQv1Ee
Meanwhile, Philly is still getting ready for its own World Cup experience. The World Cup hasn't been held in the United States since 1994, but Philly wasn't one of the host cities.
The first match at Lincoln Financial Field – called "Philadelphia Stadium" throughout the Cup – will take place 7 p.m. Sunday between Ecuador and Ivory Coast.
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