Team USA secured a resounding victory with three goals in the first half, showcasing the strength of their midfield and forward players from top European leagues.

By Han Bing At SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles, pop superstar Katy Perry electrified the atmosphere of the third opening ceremony of this World Cup. Pochettino's US team did not disappoint the crowd of over 70,000 spectators and a gathering of celebrities. They led 3-0 by halftime and eventually won 4-1 against Paraguay in the opening match. With this victory, the three co-hosts remained undefeated in their openers (two wins, one draw), leaving Qatar 2022 as the only host ever to lose its opening game.

The conclusion of three opening ceremonies and three opening matches officially kicked off the USA-Canada-Mexico World Cup. This comfortable victory also raised expectations among American fans for a team where half of its players compete in top European leagues.

For the three opening ceremonies of the three co-hosts, the SoFi Stadium, which hosted the US team's opener, was also spectacular today. The live performances featured top artists from Brazil, Nigeria, South Africa, and Thailand, with global pop superstar Katy Perry, who has sold over 150 million records, headlining the show. Combined with a 360-degree ring screen and grand fireworks and light displays, the atmosphere of the World Cup's opening was brought to its peak.

Although Donald Trump was not present, the Los Angeles stadium was still filled with celebrities. Bill Gates, Leonardo DiCaprio, Tom Cruise, George Lucas, Halle Berry, Paris Hilton, Owen Wilson, David Beckham, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and former Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau were among the many distinguished guests watching the game. The US team did not disappoint the audience, leading 3-0 at halftime and eventually winning 4-1 with ease.

Last November, in a friendly between the US and Paraguay, a fierce brawl broke out in stoppage time in Philadelphia, with US coach Pochettino even falling to the ground while trying to separate the players. Because of that fight, this match was a revenge game for both sides. However, US captain Tim Ream, Timothy Weah, and Christian Pulisic emphasized the symbolic significance of the World Cup opener: "The US team must prove its strength and, as a host, strive for a historic breakthrough in World Cup performance." Paraguay returned to the World Cup after 16 years, and Argentine coach Guillermo Barros Schelotto quoted the country's traditional football motto "Vencer o Morir" (Win or Die) during the send-off ceremony: "The 16-year wait is finally over. We are ready to repeat the great history of the 2010 World Cup."

But ideals are often shattered by harsh reality. Just seven minutes into the first half, the US team had a dream start: Weston McKennie's shot in the penalty area was deflected into the goal by Paraguay's defender (from the Chinese Super League) Bobadilla, resulting in an own goal. This was the first own goal of this World Cup and the third fastest in history, after Sead Kolašinac (Bosnia, 2014 vs Argentina) and Paraguay's Carlos Gamarra (2006 vs England), both of whom scored own goals in the third minute.

Paraguay's defense was frequently under pressure after conceding early, and US star player Christian Pulisic continuously created threats on the wing. In the 31st minute, he assisted Nigerian-American striker Folarin Balogun from the left, who slotted home to extend the lead. In the 4th minute of first-half stoppage time, Balogun repeatedly shook off Paraguayan defenders to make it 3-0.

In the second half, Pochettino substituted key players Pulisic, Sergiño Dest, and goal-scorer Balogun. Although Paraguay took advantage of a lapse in the US defense and pulled one back through Mauricio in the 73rd minute, Giovanni Reyna, son of US soccer legend Claudio Reyna, sealed the 4-1 victory for the US in the 8th minute of stoppage time.

With a 4-1 victory over Paraguay in the World Cup opener, the US team scored four goals in a single World Cup match for the first time in its history. The current US squad has moved beyond its reliance on star player Pulisic; eight of the 11 starters in this match play in top European leagues: Balogun (who scored twice) from Monaco, Pulisic (AC Milan), McKennie (Juventus), Malik Tillman (Bayer Leverkusen), and Freeman (Villarreal), while Crystal Palace defender Chris Richards also won the UEFA Europa Conference League this season. After the game, Pochettino stated that substituting Pulisic at halftime was merely a "precautionary" measure to prevent injury and conserve energy for upcoming matches.

This was the first time the US team scored three goals in the first half of a World Cup match since the group stage against Portugal in the 2002 Korea-Japan World Cup. It was also the first time in 96 years that the US had won by a three-goal margin in the World Cup, since a 3-0 victory over Paraguay in 1930.

Notably, the 1930 and 2002 World Cups were the ones in which the US team achieved its best results. This 4-1 victory has filled American fans and media with high expectations for this tournament. Previously, the US team's best World Cup finish was third place in the inaugural 1930 tournament. However, that year only 13 teams participated, and many strong European sides were absent due to travel difficulties. Since the adoption of a qualifying format in 1934, the US team's best World Cup performance has been the quarterfinals in 2002.

When the US first hosted the World Cup in 1994, they reached the round of 16. Now hosting for the second time, the US team hopes to challenge for the best result in their World Cup history. Previously, the US won their opening match four times, and in the first three instances, they at least advanced to the round of 16. Apart from 1930 and 2002, they also successfully advanced from the group stage in 2014. The strong performance displayed in this comfortable opener is the source of confidence for Pochettino and the US team.