Wow. What a performance. Coming into the game there was plenty of excitement and reason for optimism, but past World Cup performances also left plenty of room for apprehension. This team answered every question they could in the opening game. It was a total domination for nearly the entire 90 minutes as the US came away with a 4-1 win.
For those of you tuning back in for the first time since the 2022 World Cup, it is not always this easy. In fact, in the World Cup, it is almost never this easy, even for the best teams.
This was not some overmatched minnow showing up for the experience and happy to be there. Paraguay qualified out of South America, the hardest continent in the world to qualify from. They have real talent. They had Miguel Almirón. They had Diego Gómez. Most importantly, they had Julio Enciso, their most dangerous attacking player, available and looking healthy after some pre-tournament questions.
And none of it mattered for most of the game.
The US was the better team athletically, technically, tactically, and emotionally. They were sharper on the ball, faster to loose balls, more aggressive in the press, and more dangerous every time they got into the final third. The final numbers tell the story pretty clearly: 65% possession, 16 shots to 9, 6 shots on target to 1, 4 big chances to 1, and a ridiculous 53 touches in the opposition box compared to just 9 for Paraguay. That last number may be the most telling. This was not a game where the US got a couple of lucky breaks and hung on. They lived in Paraguay’s box for most of the game.
The lineup was mostly as expected, with the same group that started the final friendly against Germany, except with Chris Richards returning to replace Miles Robinson and anchor the back line. Richards’ return was important, not just because of his individual ability, but because it allowed the rest of the team to play on the front foot with confidence. After a brief scare in the first minute, when Paraguay created a shot from a sharp angle that forced Freese to be alert, the US took control and never really let go.
The opening goal came quickly and set the tone. It started with a deft forward pass from Alex Freeman, then Weston McKennie turned an ordinary transition moment into opportunity. McKennie carried the ball forward, progressed the attack, and found Christian Pulisic, who immediately put Paraguay on their heels. Pulisic beat defenders, forced the back line to collapse, and eventually the ball was turned into the net by Damián Bobadilla. Yes, the final touch was lucky. But you make your own luck by putting defenders under pressure and making them defend emergency situations in their own box.
That was basically the theme of the first half. Pulisic was too much for Paraguay to handle. He came inside, went outside, dropped deep, ran in behind, combined with Balogun, and repeatedly turned small openings into dangerous moments. His club form or health or whatever lingering worries existed coming into the tournament were answered in about 20 minutes. Paraguay simply did not have an answer for him.
The second goal was the kind of goal this team has not always scored in past World Cups. Antonee Robinson played an exceptional pass around the defense and into the channel for Pulisic, who outraced the Paraguayan back line and cut it back toward Balogun. There was another fortunate deflection involved, but again, that is what happens when you attack with pace and purpose. Balogun coolly slotted the finish into the corner to make it 2-0 and give the US real breathing room.
Balogun’s performance was exactly what you want from a World Cup striker. He showed strength. He worked hard. He battled for loose balls. And when the chances came, he looked like a top-class finisher. His second goal was the highlight of the first half and probably the moment when this went from “great start” to “holy crap, this is happening.”
Malik Tillman, who was excellent all game, was left in acres of space in midfield and slipped a perfectly weighted ball into Balogun’s path. Balogun still had plenty to do, but he made it look easy, beating two defenders and hammering a left-footed finish into the upper corner just before halftime. It was the kind of ruthless finish the US has been missing for most of my lifetime watching this team. No hesitation. No extra touch. No “almost.” Just an emphatic World Cup goal.
That made it 3-0 at halftime, and I am not sure it is an exaggeration to call it the best half the US men have played at a World Cup since 2002. It may have been the most complete World Cup performance from the US since then, full stop.
One of the most encouraging parts of the performance was that it was not just the stars. Everyone did their part. Tillman was outstanding on both sides of the ball. He started as the deeper midfielder next to Tyler Adams and then, after Pulisic came off at halftime, moved into the more advanced role that Pulisic had been occupying as an attacking midfielder/tucked-in winger. That type of versatility is incredibly valuable in a tournament, especially when you are managing minutes, injuries, and game states.
McKennie was active and aggressive. Adams covered ground and helped keep Paraguay from building anything through midfield. Antonee Robinson was his usual high-energy self down the left. Freeman looked completely comfortable in a massive spot and then added the late assist for Gio Reyna. Dest gave Paraguay problems on the right. Richards looked solid in his return. Even the subs brought the right energy. Sebastian Berhalter and Ricardo Pepi both made hustle plays after coming on, which is exactly what you want to see in a game where it would have been easy for the intensity to drop.
That may have been my favorite part of the whole performance. The US looked passionate and energized in a way we have not always seen lately. Players were flying around the field for almost the entire game. They looked like a team that understood the moment and wanted to make an immediate statement.
The one big concern is Pulisic. He came off at halftime after taking a kick to the calf, and while that created some immediate panic, his postgame comments made it sound like it was hopefully just a knock. The US has a week before the Australia game, so if there was ever a time to be cautious with him, a 3-0 halftime lead in the opening game was it. Still, until he is back on the field, that will be the main thing hanging over the next few days.
Paraguay did pull one back in the second half, and it came in frustrating fashion. A long ball was not dealt with cleanly, Almirón helped keep the play alive, Enciso made the right unselfish pass, and Mauricio finished to make it 3-1. It was a reminder that World Cup games rarely stay comfortable forever. There are almost always moments where you have to survive something. The US did not defend that sequence well, but the broader defensive performance was strong enough that it felt more like a warning than a real collapse.
Then Gio Reyna put the perfect final stamp on the night.
The fourth goal was a beautiful passing sequence, started on the right side with Freeman and Weah combining before Freeman found Reyna in space. Reyna took the chance brilliantly, curling a sublime outside-of-the-foot shot into the far corner. It was the kind of goal that makes you remember this team has real difference-makers beyond the starting eleven. In past tournaments, the US often needed every ounce of effort just to hang around. In this game, they brought a player like Reyna off the bench and he produced a moment of pure class.
That fourth goal could matter too. In a 48-team World Cup, goal difference may end up being extremely important, and a 4-1 win puts the US in a tremendous position. It was the most goals the US men have ever scored in a World Cup game and their largest margin of victory since 1930. For a program that has produced plenty of brave performances, gritty draws, and narrow escapes, this was something different. This was domination.
The job is not done, of course. It never is after one game. But this result changes the entire complexion of the group. If the US can win one of its final two games, they will be nearly guaranteed to advance. A win against Australia would put them in position to win the group with a win, and maybe even a draw, in the final game.
Next up is Australia, a team that probably does not have the top-end talent Paraguay has, but could still be difficult to break down. They will likely be organized, physical, and more than happy to turn the game into a grind if the US allows it. The challenge now is bringing the same energy and urgency into the second game. That is often harder than it sounds after an emotional opening win.
But for one night, there is no need to overcomplicate it.
The US opened its World Cup with one of the best performances in program history. They scored four. They overwhelmed a real South American opponent. Their stars looked like stars. Their role players delivered. Their bench added quality. And for the first time in a long time, a US World Cup game was not a white-knuckle survival exercise.
It was fun.
It was dominant.
And it was exactly the kind of start this team needed.