USMNT player ratings vs Paraguay: Folarin Balogun brace powers dream opener as Americans set their World Cup scoring record and give fans reason to believe It was a near-perfect World Cup opener for Mauricio Pochettino’s side as they swept away their opponents in a way that will be remembered for a long, long time.
INGLEWOOD, Calif. — After years of buildup, the 2026 World Cup has arrived. On Friday night, American soccer might just have, too.
Such was the level of dominance from the U.S. Men’s National Team, a group that entered this tournament fighting battles on multiple fronts. For years, they’ve wanted to change the perspective of American soccer, both at home and abroad. No matter where you tuned in from to watch this World Cup opener against Paraguay, you saw something you’ve never quite seen before: a USMNT group ready and able to capture this moment.
In the end, the USMNT’s World Cup opener ended 4-1. In truth, it was something more than that. For diehard fans, this was the culmination of a decade-long journey for a golden generation. For newcomers, this was the type of performance that wins hearts and minds, which is the opportunity this team has this summer.
This game was defined by opportunities, and there were plenty for the U.S. as they ran circles around a helpless Paraguay team. It started early, too, with a seventh-minute own-goal opener that saw Christian Pulisic and Weston McKennie combine to give the USMNT that perfect start.
It only got better from there. Confidence snowballed, and Paraguay could do little to stop it. They were exposed by Pulisic and Balogun on the USMNT’s second, a setup from the former to the latter for a first-time finish in the 31st minute. Then, in first-half stoppage time, Balogun did it again to make it a brace, darting onto a Malik Tillman pass before dancing by two defenders and firing into the top corner. A perfect night wasn’t totally perfect, of course, as the U.S. did concede an inexcusable goal to Mauricio via some 73rd-minute route-one nonsense. There was still time, though, for Gio Reyna to rebalance the vibes with a fourth goal with the last kick of the game. The four-goal performance marked the most goals scored by the USMNT in a single World Cup match, breaking a record that had stood since 1930, when the Americans beat both Belgium and Paraguay 3-0.
They were the types of moments that ignite a World Cup. They’re also the types of moments that ignite a team and a country, too. The relationship between the team and country changed dramatically across 90 minutes of near-perfect soccer, and at some point, these 90 minutes may just be looked at as the moment that started it all for a team that seems more ready than ever for that kind of challenge.
GOAL rates the USMNT from Los Angeles…
- Goalkeeper & DefenseMatt Freese (6/10):Tested early but, after that, didn’t have too much to do. Can credit those in front of him for that.Antonee Robinson (7/10):Did his job well on that left-hand side. That job was largely “help Pulisic get onto the ball”. Mission accomplished.Tim Ream (8/10):Passing was world-class. Paraguay nearly got loose after one giveaway, putting Ream in a footrace, but he made it back just fine.Chris Richards (7/10):Had two chances to get a goal but put them just wide. After weeks of worry, the ankle looked pretty darn healthy.Alex Freeman (7/10):Had one bad giveaway, but was otherwise wildly impressive. Did well defensively and had some good moments stepping into the attack.
Getty Images SportMidfieldTyler Adams (7/10):An expected performance from the USMNT’s No. 6. That yellow card could come back to bite him, though.Weston McKennie (8/10):Absolutely ran the midfield, particularly in the first half, and was somewhat rewarded for that fact with that own goal.Malik Tillman (7/10):So, so smooth. Played with a level of confidence that we probably haven’t seen from him, with that confidence resulting in the assist for Balogun’s second. Needed to finish one of his many chances, though.
Getty Images SportAttackChristian Pulisic (9/10):Absolutely relentless. Created the own goal and then set up the second outright, driving the USMNT attack throughout a dominant first-half display. Was withdrawn at halftime, but by then, his influence on the opener was already undeniable.Sergino Dest (7/10):A total menace that will leave several Paraguay defenders on the wrong end of highlight reels. Definitely lacked end product a bit, but he was fun to watch, and that counts for something, right?Folarin Balogun (9/10):This is what an elite No. 9 can do. Finishing, dribbling, timing – all spot-on for Balogun, who stepped right into the spotlight to lead the line.
Subs & Manager
Sebastian Berhalter (6/10):
Came in at the half to replace Pulisic. No surprise that the USMNT’s pace died down a bit given how Pulisic was playing, but Pochettino’s selection of Berhalter indicated that he was okay with that.
Timothy Weah (6/10):
Came on to replace Dest and instantly had a look at goal, but he wasn’t able to hit the target.
Ricardo Pepi (6/10):
A cameo, but showed more of what he has these last few weeks: the ability to bring others into the game.
Gio Reyna (9/10):
Came on late, but not too late to score a golazo in stoppage time to put an exclamation point on it all.
Mauricio Pochettino (9/10):
A dream night for a coach who has given everyone reason to believe. Tactically, got it spot on, which kept the vibes high in the most impressive USMNT World Cup performance in recent history.
