The U.S. Men’s National Team (USMNT) secured a 4-1 victory over Paraguay in its 2026 World Cup opener on Friday at Los Angeles Stadium in Inglewood, California. The win places the U.S. At the top of Group D, which also includes Australia and Turkey. The U.S. Is scheduled to face Australia on June 19 in Seattle. The U.S. Established dominance early, scoring an own goal in the 7th minute when a pass from Weston McKennie deflected off Paraguayan defender Damian Bobadilla. Striker Folarin Balogun scored the next two goals, first in the 31st minute following a cross from Christian Pulisic and again during the first-half stoppage time. Balogun’s brace is the first by a U.S. Player since the 1930 inaugural tournament. Paraguay midfielder Mauricio scored their only goal in the 73rd minute, before winger Gio Reyna added a fourth U.S. Goal in the second-half stoppage time. The match saw a large crowd of 70,492 in attendance, with many fans paying thousands of dollars for tickets. Reports described a sea of red and white, with fans wearing jerseys, glitter, and various costumes. According to Fox News, fans appeared in “patriotic maximalism” outfits, including Uncle Sam hats, “Rocky IV” robes, and boxing gloves. CBS News noted fans dressed as Uncle Sam with long white beards and top hats, as well as George Washington costumes. Fox News also highlighted fans in Minnesota enduring heavy rain to cheer for the team, and fans in Los Angeles wearing wool getups and powdered wigs to resemble Founding Fathers. The victory marks the first World Cup match held on U.S. Soil in over 30 years. While the U.S. Won only one match in the 1994 tournament hosted in the country, the team’s attack showed significant improvement from the 2022 World Cup, where they scored only three goals across four matches. Balogun, who chose to represent the U.S. In 2023, is one of 13 players debuting for the national team in this tournament.