INGLEWOOD, Calif. – The U.S. men’s national team didn’t just start their World Cup campaign on Friday night. They announced it. Paraguay, a side expected to test the co-hosts, found themselves battered and breathless inside a roaring SoFi Stadium as the Americans raced to a commanding two-goal lead before halftime.
Christian Pulisic was the architect of the demolition. Every time the AC Milan star collected the ball, he carved through Paraguay’s defense with a hunger that felt personal. It was his incisive run that unlocked the deadlock early, cutting between two defenders before feeding Weston McKennie. McKennie’s pass found Folarin Balogun, but it was a deflection off Damian Bobadilla that sent the ball into the net, igniting the stadium.
Paraguay tried to regroup, shifting into a defensive 4-4-2 to smother the momentum. It didn’t work. Pulisic kept probing, and just minutes after seeing a goal disallowed for offside, Balogun made sure the second one counted. A sweeping ball from Antonee Robinson found Pulisic on the flank, his deflected low cross met by Balogun’s side-foot finish. The stadium erupted again.
The USMNT’s backline, anchored by a returning Chris Richards who shook off a month-long ankle injury, held firm despite a nasty aerial collision with Omar Alderete. Richards stayed down momentarily but rose to continue, a symbol of a team refusing to bend.
Off the pitch, the night carried its own weight. Katy Perry performed “Wonder” before kickoff, her shimmering silver dress sparking chatter online. Marco Rubio led the U.S. delegation in the stands, while a contingent of USWNT legends—Alex Morgan, Julie Foudy, Alyssa Naeher, and current captain Lindsey Heaps among them—watched from the seats. Coach Emma Hayes was there too, a nod to the legacy these men are chasing.
As the hydration break approached, the most telling sign was Pulisic’s relentless positivity. The U.S. kept their foot on the gas, hunting a third goal that could bury Paraguay before the break. For a team carrying the weight of a home World Cup, this was a statement: the Americans are not just participating. They are coming for more.
