The Balogun brace inspired the United States to a dominant 4-1 victory over Paraguay on Friday, giving the hosts a dream start to their World Cup campaign in front of an excited crowd in Los Angeles.
Folarin Balogun scored twice, while sustained US pressure forced an own goal from Damian Bobadilla. Substitute Gio Reyna added a late strike as Mauricio Pochettino’s men opened Group D with an impressive win at SoFi Stadium.
The United States entered the tournament under pressure after a string of poor results and lacklustre displays in pre-World Cup friendlies.
The Balogun brace erased concerns about the US team’s chances of reaching the knockout stage as they stormed to a 3-0 first-half lead and took firm control of the match.
“Just a great start from the guys,” Christian Pulisic said after the match. “We played with energy, delivered a strong performance and deserved the win.
“It’s only the beginning of a long journey. We have more work to do, but it’s a great start and we must stay focused for the next game.
”Singer Katy Perry entertained fans before kick-off, while actors Tom Cruise, Leonardo DiCaprio and Halle Berry watched alongside a crowd of 70,492 spectators.
The US team responded with a confident display full of quality and intensity, boosting hopes of a deep tournament run ahead of matches against Australia and Turkey.
The hosts opened the scoring after seven minutes when relentless pressure forced Bobadilla into an own goal. Balogun then extended the lead with two well-taken goals.
Paraguay pulled one back in the 73rd minute through Brazil-born Mauricio after a defensive lapse, but the goal did little to spoil an otherwise commanding US performance.
