- The victory matched one of the United States’ largest winning margins in World Cup history
- His second goal gave the Americans a comfortable cushion heading into the break
- Canada recovered from an early setback to claim a memorable draw against Bosnia-Herzegovina
United States made a strong statement in their opening match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, defeating Paraguay 4-1 in Los Angeles, while fellow hosts Canada earned their first-ever World Cup point after a 1-1 draw with Bosnia-Herzegovina.
Eko Hot Blog gathered that the Americans wasted little time asserting themselves, taking the lead after just seven minutes when a dangerous attack forced Paraguay midfielder Damian Bobadilla to turn the ball into his own net.
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Led by an energetic display from Christian Pulisic, the hosts dominated the early stages and soon doubled their advantage through Folarin Balogun. The striker calmly finished after being picked out by Pulisic to put the United States firmly in control.
Balogun struck again before halftime, producing a composed finish after racing onto a well-timed pass and beating his defender. His second goal gave the Americans a comfortable cushion heading into the break.
Paraguay showed signs of life in the second half when Mauricio pulled one back, but any hopes of a comeback were dashed in stoppage time. Substitute Giovanni Reyna put the result beyond doubt with a brilliant long-range effort that capped an impressive performance from the home side.
The victory matched one of the United States’ largest winning margins in World Cup history, while Balogun etched his name into the record books as only the second American player to score twice in a World Cup match.
In Toronto, Canada recovered from an early setback to claim a memorable draw against Bosnia-Herzegovina.
The visitors took the lead in the first half through Jovo Lukic, who headed home from a corner kick to give Bosnia the advantage.
Canada responded positively and created several scoring opportunities, but Bosnia’s defence repeatedly denied them. The hosts came close on multiple occasions, only to be frustrated by crucial interventions on the goal line.
Their persistence was eventually rewarded in the 78th minute when substitute Cyle Larin made an instant impact. Shortly after entering the match, he worked space inside the penalty area and fired a shot that beat the goalkeeper, with a slight deflection helping the ball into the net.
The equaliser secured a historic result for Canada, ending a long wait for their first point at the FIFA World Cup after previous appearances ended without a draw or victory.
While the United States celebrated a dominant start to their campaign, Canada also had reason to celebrate after achieving a milestone that could boost confidence for the remainder of the tournament.
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