06/12/2026 10:29:00
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06/12 22:15 CDT US opens its home World Cup with a dynamic 4-1 victory over
Paraguay, sparked by Balogun's 2 goals
US opens its home World Cup with a dynamic 4-1 victory over Paraguay, sparked
by Balogun's 2 goals
By GREG BEACHAM
AP Sports Writer
INGLEWOOD, Calif. (AP) --- Folarin Balogun scored twice in the Americans'
historic three-goal first half, and the U.S. opened its first home World Cup in
32 years with its biggest win in the tournament, a dynamic 4-1 victory over
Paraguay on Friday night.
Christian Pulisic had an assist in a stellar first-half playmaking performance
for the Americans, who enthralled their Southern California fans with an
aggressive attack while streaking to a 3-0 halftime lead --- the team's largest
in any World Cup game.
Gio Reyna ripped another goal in the dying moments of second-half injury time,
giving the Americans four goals in a World Cup match for the first time.
The U.S. scored only three goals combined in its four matches at the Qatar
World Cup four years ago, and it had never scored more than three in a World
Cup match. But the Americans were a team transformed while playing in new coach
Mauricio Pochettino's more creative system in front of a passionate,
star-studded Los Angeles crowd of 70,492.
Maurcio scored in the second half for Paraguay, but La Albirroja fell too far
behind early in their first World Cup match in 16 years.
After the U.S. went ahead on an early own-goal created by Pulisic's playmaking,
Balogun scored in the 31st minute and again in the fifth minute of first-half
injury time.
The New York-born, London-raised striker made his World Cup debut with the
first multigoal performance from a U.S. player in the tournament since 1930.
Balogun chose to represent the U.S. three years ago instead of staying in the
English system, where he likely would have struggled to make the Three Lions'
roster --- and the 24-year-old Monaco professional has swiftly provided the
top-level striker play historically lacking on U.S. rosters.
Pulisic was replaced by Sebastian Berhalter at halftime, but the U.S. didn't
immediately indicate whether the AC Milan standout was injured. Pulisic
appeared to signal to family in the stands that he was fine.
Pulisic created the first two U.S. goals with exceptional runs down the left
side. In the seventh minute, he cleverly split two defenders and passed to
Weston McKennie, whose centering touch hit Paraguay midfielder Damin
Bobadilla's outstretched foot and went in, setting off pandemonium in the SoFi
Stadium stands.
The Americans gradually amplified their attack centered around Pulisic's runs
--- and three minutes after an apparent goal from Balogun was erased by an
offside call, Pulisic again drove the left side and got a deflected pass to the
trailing Balogun, who banged it home.
With first-half injury time winding down, Malik Tillman weighted a long pass to
a streaking Balogun, who held up to create space and fired a brilliant shot
into the far top corner.
The Americans were less cohesive without Pulisic in the second half, but Reyna
still added the finishing touch by gliding into the box and toe-flicking home
his first World Cup goal. The moment was sweet for Reyna, who barely played at
the Qatar World Cup amid a messy family dispute with former U.S. coach Gregg
Berhalter.
Dozens of American celebrities and cultural icons turned out for the match 10
miles south of Hollywood, including Tom Cruise, George Lucas, Bill Gates, Halle
Berry, Leonardo DiCaprio and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.
___
AP World Cup: https://apnews.com/fifa-world-cup
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