Usmnt_-_asn_top_-_celebrates_folarin_balogun_goal_vs._paraguay_-_2026-6-12
USMNT analysis

Analysis: USMNT overwhelms Paraguay in stunning first half to secure 4-1 win in World Cup opener

The U.S. team could not have asked for a better start to its World Cup campaign after controlling the game from the opening whistle and never looking back. ASN's Paul Stephens offers up his thoughts
BY Paul Stephens Posted
June 13, 2026
12:50 AM

THE UNITED STATES MEN’S NATIONAL team turned in one of the best and most memorable performances in team history when it defeated Paraguay 4-1 in Los Angeles on Friday night. From the opening whistle, the Americans were on the front foot and doing everything right. Despite letting up in the second half, the result was never in doubt.

Mauricio Pochettino went with a very similar lineup to the one that he used against Germany in its final pre-World Cup friendly. The only change was the return of Chris Richards, who returned to training earlier in the week, three weeks after injuring his ankle playing for Crystal Palace.

The U.S. got on board early when lethal dribble from Christian Pulisic forced Paraguay into emergency defending. Pulisic got the ball to Weston McKennie who then tried to set up Folarin Balogun but instead saw his pass deflected by Paraguay’s Damián Bobadilla into his own net.

But Balogun would not be denied his first World Cup goal when in the 31st minute Pulisic again made a lethal move down the left wing and set up the Monaco forward for a clear shot 12 yards straight out from goal.

 

Then just before the halftime whistle, it was Balogun again with another first-rate finish when he took a through-ball from Malik Tillman, moved to the center and fired an unstoppable left footed shot into the top corner.

The second half was far more even as the U.S. team let up. Mauricio, an attacking midfielder from Palmeiras who entered the game at the start of the second half, pulled Paraguay back to within two with a low shot which Matt Freese could do nothing to stop.

Eventually, however, the U.S. team regained control of the game and began creating dangerous chances.

 

Then with the final kick of the game, substitute Gio Reyna hit an exquisite shot with the outside of his foot that beat Paraguayan keeper Orlando Gill.

The U.S. has advanced at every World Cup where it has won or drawn the first game. It would take a crazy series of results for the U.S. team to finish fourth or one of the four worst third-place teams.

Here are a few thoughts on it all.

 

The first half numbers were unbelievable

 

The U.S. team was one of the most difficult teams to predict entering into this tournament but the first 10-15 minutes were always going to be revealing. Was the U.S. team going to be lost in the moment and timid, or was the U.S. team going to seize the moment.

The answer is the latter. The U.S. team came out looking to make an immediate statement. Paraguay was overwhelmed. The game was total one-way traffic and Paraguay struggled to touch the ball in the U.S. half.


The numbers in the first half were staggering in terms of dribbles, passing, and touches in the opposing team’s box.

The game was won with the U.S. team’s relentless and immediate aggression from the opening whistle through the entire first half.

 

Passing Out of the Back

 

The best players in this game were obviously Balogun, Pulisic, and Tillman who were all excellent and on another level.



But no player played poorly in this game and everyone was strong.

One of the team’s best strengths was its passing out of the back. Tim Ream was 85/91 in passing and was 8/10 with its long balls. Many promising attacks started with his passing out of the back. Then there was Chris Richards who was a perfect 83/83 although he was more conservative with his pass selection opting for just one long ball, which he completed.



Alex Freeman was guilty of a bad turnover early in the second half which gifted Paraguay a rare dangerous chance. But he was another player who brought a lot to this game.

For Ream, Freeman, and Antonee Robinson, all three made passes that cut through Paraguay’s midfield and created chances.

 

Adams Yellow Card

 

The worst thing that happened to the U.S. team was not Paraguay’s goal. It was the yellow card to Tyler Adams that will require Pochettino to consider resting defensive midfielder. At this World Cup, yellow cards are reset after the group stage but suspensions that are picked up must be served. This means that if Adams gets a second yellow against Türkiye in the third groups stage game, he would be suspended for the round of 32.

Pochettino will now have tough decisions to make. Should he start Adams in the second game against Australia? If Adams doesn’t pick up a yellow against Australia, does Pochettino start him against Türkiye?

Either way, we are looking at a situation where Tyler Adams probably won’t play against Türkiye.

Pochettino simply cannot afford to have Adams miss the round of 32 game.  

 

Pulisic’s knock

Pulisic was pulled at halftime, and it was not due to the game being out of reach. He picked up a little knock in taking a kick from a Paraguayan player.

The good news is that he stressed it was precautionary and that he “hopes it nothing.” But he cannot say for certain.



The good news for Pulisic and the U.S. team is that with this win, time is on their side. The game against Australia is not absolutely critical and the U.S. team can still win without him. Pulisic only becomes absolutely necessary when the knockouts begin in over two weeks. If it were that serious of an injury, he would likely know.

 

Post a comment