Paraguay fell behind in the seventh minute when a pass from Weston McKennie deflected off defender Damian Bobadilla for an own goal. Striker Folarin Balogun then took over, finishing a Christian Pulisic cross in the 31st minute and adding a second goal in first-half stoppage time after shedding two defenders and placing a shot into the upper corner past goalkeeper Orlando Gill.
The U.S. attack was more subdued after halftime. Pulisic was replaced by Sebastian Berhalter, who became just the second son in a father-son pair to represent the United States in a World Cup match. His father, former USMNT head coach Gregg Berhalter, played in the 2002 tournament.
Paraguay midfielder Mauricio pulled one back in the 73rd minute. Late in second-half stoppage time, substitute midfielder Gio Reyna extended the lead to 4-1. Balogun's brace marked the first two-goal World Cup performance by a U.S. player since the inaugural tournament in 1930.
Balogun is one of 13 players representing the U.S. at this World Cup for the first time. Born in New York City to Nigerian parents and raised in London, he was eligible for multiple national teams before choosing the United States in 2023. Friday's result highlighted how far the American attack has progressed since the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, when the U.S. managed only three goals across four matches.
