The USMNT opened its home World Cup tournament with a 4-1 win over Paraguay on Matchday 2, a result powered by two Folarin Balogun goals and a strike from Gio Reyna. The United States led 3-0 before the break and turned that control into the most goals it has ever scored in World Cup history.
That is the kind of night that changes the tone around a team quickly, and it did so on a day when World Cup results today were being read as an early test of whether the host side could match the attention around it. The first half was described as the USMNT’s best 45 minutes in a major tournament, and Reyna’s goal was singled out as the best of the competition so far.
Christian Pulisic was at the center of the one concern. He was withdrawn at half-time as a precaution after feeling tightness in his calf, then told reporters after the match, “I don’t think it’s anything,”. Mauricio Pochettino said he could put a cross in virtually every box on his checklist after the performance, but that assessment still depends on whether Pulisic is ready to go again.
The margin was also cleaner than the final scoreline suggests. Paraguay’s only shot on target produced its goal in the 73rd minute, long after the USMNT had already settled the match. That leaves the Americans with the numbers that matter most this early: a 97 per cent chance of advancing to the knockouts and a 59 per cent chance of winning their group.
The road ahead is now easy to map. If the USMNT finishes first, it would face the runner-up from one of Groups B, E, F, I and J. If it finishes second, it would meet the runner-up from Group G. The better the Americans look, the more the bracket opens up for them — but the whole picture still runs through Pulisic’s calf, because a dominant opener means less if the player who sets the pace cannot stay on the field.
There was a sharp reminder elsewhere on the same day that the tournament is already producing its own complications. Canada rescued a late draw and earned its first-ever World Cup point, while Thomas Partey was denied entry to Canada and will not be allowed to feature against Panama on June 17. For the USMNT, though, the message was simpler: the opener was convincing, the group position is strong, and the next question is whether the team can keep that level with Pulisic available from start to finish.
