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The United States began their World Cup campaign with a commanding 4–1 victory over Paraguay in Los Angeles on Friday.
Folarin Balogun’s brace and a Gio Reyna strike sealed a dominant opening win for the co-hosts.
The hosts took an early lead in the seventh minute when Paraguay defender Damian Bobadilla turned the ball into his own net after a sweeping US move involving Weston McKennie and Christian Pulisic.
By half-time, the Americans were firmly in control, leading 3–0 in front of a sold-out crowd of 70,492, including Hollywood stars such as Tom Cruise, Leonardo DiCaprio and Paris Hilton.
According to AFP, Paraguay struggled to cope with the intensity of the US attack, as Folarin Balogun struck twice before the break, first finishing from close range after a cross from Pulisic, and then curling home a superb effort just before half-time.
The Monaco striker’s second goal capped a dominant first-half display in which the United States enjoyed around 75 percent possession and repeatedly carved open the Paraguayan defence.
The only concern for the hosts came at half-time when captain Christian Pulisic was withdrawn.
Paraguay improved after the break and pulled a goal back through substitute Mauricio, who finished off a move involving Julio Enciso.
However, substitute Gio Reyna restored US control late on with a fine curling effort to complete the 4–1 scoreline.
The result puts the United States in a strong position in Group D, which also includes Australia and Turkey.
The match came after a glitzy Hollywood-style opening ceremony featuring performances by Katy Perry, Future, Tyla, Anitta and K-pop star Lisa, with celebrities filling the stadium as FIFA staged its first World Cup game on US soil.
