By Daniel Feuerstein | Inglewood, CA | June 12th, 2026
The U.S. Men’s National Team was ready for its first group-stage match as one of the three host nations in the 2026 FIFA World Cup, facing a difficult Paraguay side that has improved over the past several international matches. From the opening whistle to the closing whistle, the USA attacked and took advantage of their South American opponents, showing poor form and poor defensive moments, flooding attacking runs down the wide angles, and creating chances inside the Paraguay area. When the final whistle was blown, it was the USA with the full three points and a huge victory as they won by the final score of four goals to one.
Three goals inside the opening 45 minutes
It was an amazing opening half for the U.S. Men’s National Team as they took advantage of attacking Paraguay down the wide areas, as they faced a low block inside the Paraguayan area. But once the USA got past a defender, they took advantage of several moments and scored three goals. The first one was an own goal, forcing Paraguay to put the ball into their own net when Christian Pulisic received the ball and challenged two defenders. He blew right by them and pushed forward, passing it to Weston McKennie, then he passed it toward his right, but Damian Bobadilla tried to redirect it away, and put the ball inside his own net in the 7th minute.
Folarin Balogun made history for the U.S. Men’s National Team as he scored two goals in the match and became the first American player in the World Cup to have a multi-goal World Cup match since Bert Patenaude in the 1930 World Cup, played in Uruguay. It was a Hat Trick on July 17th, and the opponent was Paraguay. His first goal came from a long ball started by Antonee Robinson along the far side touchline, finding Pulisic. Attacking with the ball and started to cut inside the area, made a quick pass toward Balogun, and all he did was smash it home low and inside the near post in the 31st minute
His second goal was another brilliant pass that started from the midfield. Malik Tillman sent a long ball, and Balogun just jumped in front of the defender to possess it, and now had two defenders to face. The first one trailed behind him and, at the last minute, fell and lost him. Balogun then makes a move towards his left against the second defender, makes a slight cut, then bends a big ball to the upper far corner for his second of the match in the fifth minute of five in second half stoppage time. Tons of history were made in this match.
This was the first time since the 2002 World Cup in South Korea/Japan that the U.S. Men’s National Team has scored three goals inside the entire first half when they faced Portugal in their first group stage match in Suwon, South Korea. John O’Brien, Jorge Costa, with an Own Goal, and Brian McBride put the ball into the net inside the first 36 minutes of the match. The USA defeated Portugal, who had Luis Figo, Beto, Rui Jorge, and Sergio Conceicao.
The new VAR yellow card law helped Tim Ream
Tim Ream was tracking and staying with Miguel Almiron along the near side, and when Almiron took a turn toward the endline, it looked like Ream defended him well, and then Almiron fell. Referee Danny Desmond Makkelie, in the 50th minute, ran up to Ream and issued him a yellow card for a foul and awarded a free kick to Paraguay. As play restarted, the VAR Referee contacted Referee Makkelie and informed him to go to the monitor. A new rule has been created that started this World Cup called Mistaken Identity. It helped the referee to remove the yellow card from Ream, then he gave a yellow card to Almiron for simulation in the 53rd minute. The free kick was wiped out for Paraguay, and the USA was allowed to restart the match.
Gio Reyna finally gets his goal.
Coming in as a second half substitute, Gio Reyna finally got some action as he was subbed in at the 82nd minute for Malik Tillman. Inside the seventh minute of seven in second half, stoppage time. At the far side of the pitch and on the outside corner of the area, Alex Freeman and Tim Weah were passing the ball back and forth to each other. Then a quick pass to Reyna, and he started to make his move. Then, going inside the top of the area, he ripped a shot off the outside of his right boot and beat the keeper to the back post for his first World Cup goal, and that signaled the end of the match for the USA.
A strong performance
While Paraguay was a shambles on the pitch, you can’t take away the strong performance the USA showed in their attacking runs. They caused fits for Paraguay and took advantage of the wide areas. While they did start a bit slow in the second half and allowed a goal from Mauricio in the 73rd minute, the U.S. Men’s National Team had an amazing game and took advantage of Paraguay’s poor play. While this was an amazing first match, they will face a difficult and stingy Australia when they travel to the Pacific Northwest and head to Seattle at Lumen Field.
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