USA hit record four in dominant World Cup opener against Paraguay

Folarin Balogun struck twice as the United States beat Paraguay 4-1 at SoFi Stadium — the first time the USMNT has scored four in a World Cup match — to open their home tournament on top of Group D.

The United States opened their home World Cup in style, thrashing Paraguay 4-1 at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood to set a new mark for the men's national team — the first time the USMNT has scored four goals in a single World Cup match.

The hosts were ahead inside seven minutes. Relentless pressing from Christian Pulisic and Weston McKennie forced the ball into Paraguay's net via the unfortunate Damián Bobadilla for an own goal, and from there the United States never looked back.

Folarin Balogun, the New York-born striker who switched his international allegiance from England, was the star. He turned in a Pulisic cutback on 31 minutes and then doubled his tally deep in first-half stoppage time, 45+5, to make it 3-0 at the break and effectively settle the contest.

Paraguay did find a reply through substitute Mauricio, who drilled home a consolation on 73 minutes, but the night belonged to the hosts. Giovanni Reyna added gloss in the eighth minute of second-half stoppage time with an audacious trivela finish to complete the 4-1 rout.

The result sends the USA top of Group D and lays down an early marker as one of the host nations. For a team carrying the weight of home expectation, it was the ideal start — emphatic, watchable, and historic.

For fans tuning in here in Kenya, it was a statement opener from one of the host countries, and a first real glimpse of the attacking talent the United States can call upon on home soil.