INGLEWOOD, Calif. — The wait is finally over. After 32 years, the United States hosted a World Cup game on home soil, and they made sure it was worth it. The USMNT rolled to a 4-1 victory over Paraguay in their Group D opener Friday night at SoFi Stadium, delivering the kind of performance this country has been dreaming about since the tournament was announced. Pochettino’s side was sharp, physical, and clinical in a first half that turned the game into a victory lap before most fans had finished their first beer. Then Gio Reyna put a bow on it in stoppage time.
A Statement from the Jump
The Americans didn’t wait long to set the tone. In the 7th minute, Weston McKennie and Christian Pulisic combined to force an own goal from Paraguayan midfielder Damian Bobadilla, and SoFi erupted. It was chaotic, it was opportunistic, and it was exactly the kind of early pressure the USMNT needed to put on a Paraguay side ranked 40th in the world.
Folarin Balogun made it 2-0 in the 31st minute. Antonee Robinson launched a deep ball to Pulisic, who cut it back perfectly, and Balogun finished. Clinical. Then, just before the halftime whistle, he opened up in the channel, turned his defender, and curled one into the top corner with his weaker left foot. Brace. 3-0. The crowd lost its mind.
A Wake-Up Call in the Second Half
The second half brought a moment of sloppiness that shouldn’t be forgotten. Substitute Mauricio capitalized off a lack of focus from the U.S. backline in the 73rd minute, pulling one back for Paraguay and giving the Americans a mild scare. It was the kind of defensive lapse that won’t fly in the knockout rounds, and Pochettino will have notes.
But the USMNT answered with attitude. Gio Reyna, one of the most talented and storyline-heavy players on this roster, buried a fourth goal in the 90th minute to put an exclamation point on the night. After years of injuries, inconsistency, and noise around his role with the program, Reyna showed up on the biggest stage and delivered. SoFi went home happy.
Where Group D Stands
With tonight’s result, the United States sits alone at the top of Group D with three points and a plus-three goal differential. Paraguay drops to the bottom with nothing to show for it. Australia and Turkey meet Saturday in Vancouver, so the full standings picture comes into focus then. Win against Australia on June 19 in Seattle, and the USMNT could clinch advancement before their final group game against Turkey on June 25 back at SoFi.
The road to the knockout round is right there. After tonight, it’s hard not to believe.
