Folarin Balogun one of the night’s biggest winners as USA beat Paraguay 4-1

Folarin Balogun scored 2 goals in his World Cup debut as the USA beat Paraguay 4-1. He had said he had visualized scoring on the night before kick-off, and the result was even better than that, because the first appearance also turned into the sort of performance that justifies a long recruitment push.

How Balogun’s debut changed the story

Balogun did not just get on the scoresheet, he was the central figure in the win. His 9.1 rating was the highest among USMNT outfielders, which fits the eye test from a night when Christian Pulišić created his first goal and the attack kept feeding him in dangerous areas.

That is why the recruitment angle matters. Weston McKennie said, "Sh*t, it was like four years later. It came at the right time. I'm so happy for him." Balogun, for his part, said, "That was the first time actually meeting Weston, CP, a lot of the boys were there. I think Weston's character was just intense. It was cool. They made me feel welcome."

Why the opener felt bigger than the scoreline

The USA's 4-1 win over Paraguay had a clear attacking shape to it. Mauricio Pochettino set the team up in a 4-2-3-1, and the combination of Christian Pulišić, Weston McKennie and Balogun gave the side a direct route into the final third.

Bob Bradley described it as "the perfect way to start a World Cup" and called it "pure domination". M. McBride was just as positive, saying the team showed "the foundation of what they're going to be capable of doing" after executing under pressure.

There is also the end of the game to factor in. Giovanni Reyna scored in the 98th minute, and the goal was also described as a stoppage-time finish after a move that took 70 seconds and 26 passes. The broad point is the same either way, the USA finished with control and with another attacking moment to add to the night.

The crowd was part of it too. SoFi Stadium held 70,492 supporters, and [Mauricio Pochettino] said, "I need to press one thing. The fans. They were amazing. On behalf of the whole team, a massive thank you to the fans because the energy they transmit to the team was amazing." [Christian Pulišić] added that hearing the "U-S-A" chants was "really pushing us forward."

That support matched the size of the TV audience. The match averaged 15.986 million viewers across FOX, FOX One and Tubi, and peaked at 18.86 million. Whether you use the precise number or simply say nearly 16 million, it was a record USMNT telecast audience, and it showed that this opener landed well beyond the stadium.

Balogun's debut was the main event, but the bigger picture was just as clear. The recruitment gamble, the front-foot attack and the crowd all lined up on the same night, and the USA now have a striker who has already given them a proper first statement.