USA opens World Cup qualifiers with dominant 4-1 win over Paraguay

The United States men's national soccer team kicked off their 2026 World Cup campaign with a decisive 4-1 victory over Paraguay. The match, held at the Los Angeles Stadium, saw a dominant performance from the U.S. team, which also featured an opening ceremony with K-pop star Lisa of BLACKPINK.

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The U.S. defeated Paraguay 4-1 in their opening match of the 2026 World Cup qualifiers.

Folarin Balogun was the star of the show, netting a brace with goals in the 31st minute and first-half stoppage time. His first goal came from a cutback pass by Christian Pulisic, and his second was a powerful left-footed strike after evading defenders. The U.S. had an early advantage due to an own goal by a Paraguayan player in the seventh minute, stemming from a play initiated by Pulisic and Weston McKennie.

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Folarin Balogun scored two goals, and Giovanni Reyna added a late goal to secure the win for the U.S.

Despite conceding a goal to Paraguay's Mauricio in the 73rd minute, the U.S. sealed their convincing win with a late strike from Giovanni Reyna. This victory marks a strong start for one of the tournament's co-hosts, as Mexico also secured a win and Canada managed a draw in their opening matches. The World Cup, co-hosted by Mexico, Canada, and the United States, featured opening ceremonies in each country, with BTS scheduled to perform at the final's halftime show in the U.S.

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The match was part of the opening festivities for the North American World Cup, which is co-hosted by the U.S., Mexico, and Canada.