Camille Naredo

US midfielder #07 Giovanni Reyna (C) celebrates scoring his team's fourth goal during the 2026 World Cup Group D football match between USA and Paraguay at the Los Angeles Stadium in Inglewood on June 12, 2026. Patrick T. Fallon, AFP

US midfielder #07 Giovanni Reyna (C) celebrates scoring his team's fourth goal during the 2026 World Cup Group D football match between USA and Paraguay at the Los Angeles Stadium in Inglewood on June 12, 2026. (Photo by Patrick T. Fallon / AFP)

Article (news)

2026 World Cup

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px;display:block" width="960"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1781329922853AFP__20260613__B6XR33R__v2__MidRes__TopshotFblWc2026Match04UsaPar.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960" alt="US midfielder #07 Giovanni Reyna (C) celebrates scoring his team&#x27;s fourth goal during the 2026 World Cup Group D football match between USA and Paraguay at the Los Angeles Stadium in Inglewood on June 12, 2026. Patrick T. Fallon, AFP"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">US midfielder #07 Giovanni Reyna (C) celebrates scoring his team&#x27;s fourth goal during the 2026 World Cup Group D football match between USA and Paraguay at the Los Angeles Stadium in Inglewood on June 12, 2026. <em>Patrick T. Fallon, AFP</em></span></span></span></div><p>LOS ANGELES -- The United States launched their home World Cup in emphatic fashion Friday, thrashing Paraguay 4-1 with a perfectly scripted opening performance to delight a star-studded home crowd in Los Angeles.</p><p>Folarin Balogun scored twice while relentless US pressure led to an early Paraguay own goal from Damian Bobadilla before substitute Gio Reyna added a late fourth to cap a dream start for coach Mauricio Pochettino&#x27;s side at the SoFi Stadium in Group D.</p><p>The US entered the tournament amid a swirl of uncertainty after a series of defeats and unconvincing performances in pre-World Cup friendlies.</p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/sports/othersports/2026/6/13/usa-starts-world-cup-bid-with-first-game-on-home-soil-since-1994-0810">READ: USA start World Cup bid with first game on home soil since 1994</a></div><p>But any doubts about their ability to progress past the first round were obliterated in a dazzling first-half display which saw them roar into a 3-0 lead to all but seal victory in the opening 45 minutes.</p><p>&quot;Amazing result,&quot; US captain Tim Ream said. &quot;Obviously, it&#x27;s exactly the way we wanted to start the tournament. There&#x27;s not a whole lot of words to describe the feeling.</p><p>&quot;You want to start the tournament off on a good foot, scoring four goals, getting three points, it sets you up for the rest of the group stage, for sure.&quot;</p><p>Pop star Katy Perry got the party started with a rousing performance just before kick-off while Hollywood royalty including Tom Cruise, Leonardo DiCaprio and Halle Berry were among a 70,492 crowd.</p><p>The US men rose to the occasion with a performance of flair and precision that will ignite dreams of a deep run in the tournament by the co-hosts, with group games against Australia and Turkey to come.</p><p>Wave after wave of US pressure led to Bobadilla&#x27;s opening goal after just seven minutes before Balogun -- who grew up in London and represented England youth teams before pledging allegiance to the United States -- bagged his brace.</p><p>The only blemish on the US performance was the conceding of a Paraguay goal from Brazil-born Mauricio in the 73rd minute after hesitancy in the hosts&#x27; defence.</p><p>Paraguay coach Gustavo Alfaro admitted his team had been second best in every department.</p><p>&quot;We knew it was going to be difficult and that if we weren&#x27;t ready defensively it could be painful,&quot; Alfaro said. &quot;They dominated tactically, technically, and physically as well.&quot;</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>- Canada grab first point -</strong></div><div><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="960" height="540" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/KrQvEtUm_fc?&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span></div><p>In Friday&#x27;s other game, co-hosts Canada earned the first World Cup point in its history when Cyle Larin grabbed a second-half equalizer in Toronto to make it 1-1 after Bosnia-Herzegovina had taken the lead with a close-range header from Jovo Lukic.</p><p>&quot;It was special for me. I was ready to come and help the team. I thought the goals would come. I score when Canada needs me, and always have done,&quot; Larin said.</p><p>Canadian film stars Ryan Reynolds and Mike Myers were in the packed crowd to watch the first-ever World Cup match on Canadian soil.</p><p>But former Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau skipped the game in favor of the USA opener in Los Angeles -- where his girlfriend Katy Perry was performing.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>- Partey blocked by Canada -</strong></div><p>Off the pitch, Ghana midfielder Thomas Partey, who is facing trial in Britain on rape charges, has been denied a visa to enter Canada.</p><p>FIFA said Partey &quot;will be unable to travel from Ghana&#x27;s team base camp in Boston, USA, to Canada for their first match against Panama on Wednesday, 17 June, as his visa application has been refused by the Canadian government.&quot;</p><p>The 32-year-old will be eligible to play in Ghana&#x27;s subsequent Group L games against England and Croatia, both taking place in the United States.</p><p>Trump&#x27;s immigration policies have created problems for nationals from certain countries.</p><p>Somali referee Omar Artan was denied entry to the United States despite having a valid visa.</p><p>And US authorities have refused visas to some members of the Iran team&#x27;s support staff as well as Senegalese and Ivory Coast fans.</p><p>Friday&#x27;s games in Los Angeles and Toronto were the precursor to a packed slate of World Cup fixtures on Saturday, with eight teams in action.</p><p>Five-time world champions Brazil will launch their bid for a sixth title with a testing game against Morocco in East Rutherford in Group C while Scotland make their long-awaited return to World Cup football against Haiti.</p><p>Australia will take on Turkey in Vancouver while Qatar play Switzerland in Santa Clara, California.</p><p>The World Cup, expanded to 48 teams, will culminate in the final in New Jersey on July 19.</p>

<p>The United States launched their home World Cup in emphatic fashion Friday, thrashing Paraguay 4-1 with a perfectly scripted opening performance to delight a star-studded home crowd in Los Angeles.</p>

The United States launched their home World Cup in emphatic fashion Friday, thrashing Paraguay 4-1 with a perfectly scripted opening performance to delight a star-studded home crowd in Los Angeles.

USA launch World Cup with Paraguay rout, Canada snatch draw

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USA launch World Cup with Paraguay rout, Canada snatch draw

Andrew Marszal,

Agence France-Presse

Published June 13, 2026 02:23 PM PHT

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Updated June 13, 2026 03:05 PM PHT

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football

FIFA World Cup

Team USA

Paraguay

Canada

Los Angeles

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