USA Leads Paraguay 3-0 at Halftime with Fastest Goal and Balogun's Brace

The United States secured a commanding 3-0 lead over Paraguay by halftime in their opening match of Group D at the 2026 World Cup, held at the Los Angeles stadium.

The scoring began with an own goal from Paraguay's Damián Bobadilla in just the 7th minute, which also stands as the fastest goal of the tournament so far. This early setback for Paraguay occurred following a dynamic play initiated by American standout Christian Pulisic, who was a dominant force throughout the first half.

Folarin Balogun, playing for AS Monaco, extended the U.S. lead to 2-0 in the 30th minute. He then completed his brace, scoring the third goal in the fifth minute of added time, effectively sealing the dominant first-half performance for the American squad.

Despite starting the match with more intensity, Paraguay's momentum faltered after conceding the initial goal. The team struggled to regain its footing, and the scoreline could have been even more lopsided by the break if not for their efforts to limit further damage.