2026 World Cup: USA defeats Paraguay in a high-scoring match

As the eyes of the football world turn to the pitches of North America, the historic 2026 World Cup has kicked off with intense action in Group D. The opening match of this group in the global football festival provided fans with a goal-filled and thrilling spectacle. One of the tournament hosts, the USA national team, welcomed South American contenders Paraguay to their home turf, securing a dominant 4-1 victory.

Local fans visiting the magnificent stadium truly enjoyed the meaningful play and attacking football of their favorites.

Goal show in Inglewood and Balogun's brace

The famous SoFi Stadium in Inglewood hosted the match under a unique, electric atmosphere. Taking the initiative from the opening minutes, the hosts launched a series of dangerous attacks. In the 7th minute, Paraguayan defender Bobadilla scored an own goal to open the scoring. Following that, star USA striker Folarin Balogun took center stage. He found the back of the net in the 31st and 45+5th minutes, securing a brace before halftime and extending his team's lead.

In the second half, the visitors tried to regain balance and narrowed the gap with a goal from Mauricio in the 73rd minute. However, in the 90+8th minute of stoppage time, rising US football star Giovanni Reyna put the final touch on the game, sealing a resounding victory.

You can familiarize yourself with the detailed statistics of this historic Group D opening clash via the special match report below:

Turkey vs Australia clash awaits

The battle in this group is becoming even more interesting. The second match of the Group D quartet takes place tomorrow, June 14. The tactically disciplined Australia and the intense, proud European representatives, Turkey, will face off on the pitch. This encounter is undoubtedly set to provide great intrigue for the fans.

Expert analysis: Starting the tournament with such a big success as hosts significantly increases the USA's chances of reaching the knockout stages. The excellent form of Balogun and Reyna signals a serious threat to other major teams throughout the tournament.

Follow every second of the thrilling matches, unique stadium atmospheres, star goals, and the hottest sports news from the World Cup across the ocean with us on Zamin!