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There’s no getting around it: The U.S. men’s national team dominated the first half against Paraguay in its opening game at the 2026 FIFA World Cup en route to a 4-1 victory.
The United States jumped out to a 3-0 lead in Friday’s Group D opener, with forward Folarin Balogun scoring a brace to give the Americans a commanding lead. And while the USA’s first goal was an own goal in Paraguay, that didn’t stop FOX Sports soccer analyst Alexi Lalas from crowning the 45 minutes of play among the confederation’s best ever at the World Cup.
“I think it’s the biggest half group stage performance by a men’s team at a World Cup in history,” Lalas said at halftime. “Everything went right, total dominance from top to bottom.”
The USA actually could have gone up 4-0 in the first half. Balogun got a ball into the back of the net after the USA took a 1-0 lead, but the goal was ruled out for offside. Not long after, Balogun made up for it, scoring a cross from Christian Pulisic before creating an opportunity for himself and scoring top shelf to put the USA up 3-0.
As Balogun scored twice, Pulisic also stood out in the first half. Pulisic was credited with the assist for the own goal, giving him two assists in the first half before being subbed off at halftime.
“Christian Pulisic was all over the left and created opportunities,” said Lalas. “You make your luck. I know this is an own goal, but it set [Paraguay] in a dangerous situation.”
In the first half, the USA outscored Paraguay 7-2. It also had more shots on target than Paraguay (4-1) and dominated possession, controlling 71% of the first 45 minutes.
So, was the first half the best ever for the USA in a World Cup? Here’s a look at how historically dominant America’s first half was by the numbers.
2: Balogun is the second American man ever to score two goals in the first half of a World Cup match, and the first since 1930 (Bert Patenaude). Patenaude scored a hat-trick in that match in 1930, and it also came against Paraguay; he is the only American man to have a hat trick in a World Cup game.
1: This was Balogun’s first World Cup appearance, meaning it is his first time scoring in the World Cup.
96: This was Balogun’s first career multi-goal game for the United States; he is the first American man to score multiple goals in a World Cup game since Patenaude in 1930.
3: Christian Pulisic is now up to three World Cup career assists, most by any American man (two in 2022, one Friday); he joins Tab Ramos and Graham Zusi as the only American men with assists in multiple World Cups.
38: It is the first time the USA has held a three-goal lead after the first half of a men’s World Cup game in 38 World Cup games.
24: It is the first time the USA has had a multi-goal lead after the first half of a men’s World Cup game in 24 years. It held a 2-0 lead in the first half of its group match against Portugal in the 2002 FIFA World Cup.
