United States beats Paraguay 4-1 in World Cup

United States defeated Paraguay 4-1 in the Group D opener at SoFi Stadium on June 12, 2026. Mauricio Pochettino guided the USMNT to a dominant first‑half lead, three goals to nil at the break. Christian Pulisic opened the scoring, followed by Weston McKennie and Folarin Balogun before halftime. Antonee Robinson and Sergiño Dest supplied width, while Tyler Adams and Malik Tillman added midfield thrust. Chris Richards completed 83 passes after returning from an ankle injury, and Matt Freese kept a clean sheet. Gio Reyna added a late goal after coming off the bench. The victory marked the United States' first four‑goal haul in a World Cup match. It raised the team's win total to nine in 37 appearances and to two victories since 1990 against South American or European opposition. Past upsets include England in 1950, Colombia in 1994 and Portugal in 2002. Paraguay entered the tournament having beaten Argentina and Brazil in qualification, conceding only one goal in its last four qualifiers and ten in eighteen matches overall. Their defensive record was tested by the United States' fluid attack. The United States now faces Türkiye on June 25 at SoFi Stadium, needing only a draw to secure first place in the group. A first‑place finish would send the team to Santa Clara for a round‑of‑32 match against a third‑place opponent. A second‑place finish would require a trip to north Texas, potentially against Iran. A draw against Australia in Seattle would also guarantee progression. With most of the squad playing in major European leagues and Pochettino’s high‑profile appointment, the United States has set its sights on reaching the quarter‑finals, a step beyond the traditional round‑of‑16 target.