USA 4–1 Paraguay

Mexico managed it, and so did the USA—but even more impressively.

There are three co-hosts for this World Cup. Mexico won their opening match 2–0 against South Africa. Another host, Canada, played well but had to settle for a draw against Bosnia. Among the three hosts, the USA got off to the best start; Mauricio Pochettino’s team secured a commanding 4–1 victory over Paraguay in Los Angeles.

This was a significant win, not just in terms of the hosts’ performance but also considering the caliber of the opponent. Paraguay had previously defeated both Brazil and Argentina in the World Cup qualifiers, conceding only 10 goals across 18 matches in the Latin American region. Yet, today, the USA managed to put four goals past that very defense.

The first of the USA’s four goals was an own goal, though credit goes to the hosts. In the 7th minute, while trying to thwart a US attack, Paraguay midfielder Damián Bobadilla inadvertently put the ball into his own net—marking the first own goal of this World Cup. By halftime, the scoreline stood at 3–0, with Folarin Balogun scoring twice—once in the 31st minute and again just before the break.

Having established a commanding lead in the first half, the hosts played with even greater composure in the second. Paraguay put up some resistance during this period, making the contest more competitive, though goals were slower to come. Mauricio pulled one back for Paraguay in the 73rd minute, while Giovanni Reyna scored the USA’s fourth goal late in the match.

This heavy defeat comes as a major blow to Paraguay, a team that had previously beaten Brazil (1–0) and Argentina (2–1) in the Latin American qualifiers. Their last World Cup appearance was in 2010, where they reached the quarter-finals. Following this big loss to the USA, they now face a complicated path regarding qualification for the Round of 32.

Paraguay’s next match is against Turkey on June 20. And the United States will play against Australia on June 19.