Balogun brace and Reyna's stoppage-time strike send USA to historic 4-1 rout of Paraguay

The United States made World Cup history on Friday, defeating Paraguay 4-1 at Los Angeles Stadium to record their first-ever four-goal result at a Men’s World Cup. Folarin Balogun’s first-half brace and a late Gio Reyna strike were the highlights of a dominant opening performance at the 2026 tournament.

The scoring began as early as the seventh minute, when Paraguay midfielder Damián Bobadilla turned the ball into his own net — the third-fastest goal for the USA in World Cup history. Weston McKennie was the last American to touch the ball before the own goal, and the early opener continued a notable pattern: the two quickest goals for the USA in a home World Cup match have both been own goals, the other coming against Colombia in 1994.

Balogun then took centre stage, netting twice before half-time to become the first American man to score multiple goals in a single World Cup match since Bert Patenaude achieved the feat in 1930. His brace put the tie firmly beyond Paraguay and set the platform for a historic scoreline.

Reyna applied the finishing touch in the eighth minute of stoppage time, making it 4-1 and registering what is now the latest regulation goal ever scored by the USA at a World Cup. It was a fitting end to a near-flawless evening for the hosts.

The win adds further statistical colour to the USA’s World Cup record against Paraguay. The Americans have now scored in the first 15 minutes of a World Cup match six times in history, with three of those coming against Paraguay — two in 1930 and one on Friday night.

For context on just how commanding the result was: the USA have lost only once at the World Cup when scoring first, a defeat to Spain in 1950. Friday’s performance suggested that record is unlikely to be threatened any time soon. The all-time benchmark for the fastest goal by a US player at the World Cup remains Clint Dempsey’s 30-second strike against Ghana at Brazil 2014, but Reyna’s late effort has now claimed its own place in the record books at the other end of the clock.