Adjacent to Los Angeles Stadium lies the Forum, once the iconic home of the Los Angeles Lakers during the 1980s. The US men’s national team opened its campaign at the 2026 World Cup in front of 70,492 enthusiastic fans, channeling the Lakers’ legendary Showtime spirit.
With an impressive display, the US kicked off their tournament with a commanding 4-1 win over Paraguay.
Prior to the match, coach Mauricio Pochettino expressed quiet confidence, indicating that there was no need for a fiery pre-game speech. He referenced advice from a member of Argentina’s 1986 World Cup-winning squad, emphasizing the importance of playing with joy and concentration.
What followed was a dazzling first half that met Pochettino’s expectations.
The US took charge from the very beginning, creating their own fortunes. Christian Pulisic and Malik Tillman seemed to compete in outmaneuvering Paraguay’s defenders, leading to two yellow cards for the opposition. The opening goal arrived within the first ten minutes: Tim Ream sent a precise ball to Alex Freeman, who then delivered a perfectly timed pass to Weston McKennie. The Juventus midfielder sprinted forward, finding Pulisic, who then squared the ball back to McKennie. His shot deflected off Damián Bobadilla and found its way into the net.
Unlike past US teams that often eased up after scoring, this squad maintained relentless pressure. On his World Cup debut, Folarin Balogun scored twice in just 20 minutes. In the 31st minute, he capitalized on a cross from Pulisic, and just before halftime, he received a pass from Tillman, skillfully maneuvered past Gustavo Gómez, and struck the ball into the top corner.
Pulisic was substituted at halftime, likely a precautionary measure rather than due to injury. Pochettino opted to protect his star player from further physical challenges as Paraguay worked to regain control of the match. The second half saw Paraguay tighten their defense and closely monitor Balogun’s movements, limiting the space the US attackers had exploited in the first half.
Eventually, Paraguay managed to score. In the 73rd minute, they capitalized on a moment of disarray following a restart by goalkeeper Orlando Gill. Tyler Adams’s clearance found Miguel Almirón just outside the box, who quickly fed the ball to Julio Enciso. Enciso then set up substitute Maurício, allowing the Palmeiras winger to slot his shot past Matt Freese.
This goal served as a consolation for Paraguay while highlighting some of the US team’s vulnerabilities. Gaps in the defense were evident, and concerns lingered about Freese’s hesitance to leave his goal line. Upcoming matches against Australia and Turkey are likely to pose greater challenges for Freese and the defense, even if the US maintains a substantial lead.
However, those issues can be addressed later. Since being named co-hosts of this World Cup, the performance of US internationals has been scrutinized in light of the tournament. Rather than buckle under this scrutiny, the team displayed determination, eager to demonstrate their worthiness on this grand stage.
As Paraguay concentrated on protecting their goal difference, Gio Reyna, who came on as a late substitute, struck a final blow by curling the ball past Gill with the outside of his foot.
This World Cup cycle has been anything but straightforward, serving primarily as a prelude to the main event. Under the bright lights of this tournament, the US team delivered a flawless performance for the first 45 minutes, highlighting their readiness for the challenges ahead.
