Month: June 2026

LOS ANGELES STADIUM — I knew this USA team could cook, but it threw some special sauce in on Friday night. And it wasn’t just the players. Before I get into my ratings for them, a 20/10 performance from the crowd on Friday. I’ve been in that stadium multiple times, but I’ve never seen or felt it like that. From the moment players came out to warm up until the final whistle, there was an energy like no other in that building. Passion, pride, belief! The USA gave us a little bit of everything — and then some — in the first half of its win over Paraguay. Mauricio Pochettino’s team was dominant from the opening whistle to the final one. It was a masterclass. Nobody left the stadium early. The fans wanted to give this USA team the love it deserved, and they were rewarded for sticking around in the form of a brilliant Gio Reyna goal to make the scoreline 4-1. I want to note that these ratings come as a prisoner of the moment. It was an incredible night in Los Angeles as the United States dominated. Here we go. Starting XI Freese got the start over Matt Turner, but he wasn’t called upon too much Friday. I’m being generous, though. He didn’t have a starring role, and I don’t think he could do too much on the goal. From that positioning with Mauricio through on goal, I don’t think there was anything he could do. As I said, I’m feeling very generous today after that performance, so it’s an 8 for Freese. I thought Antonee Robinson was more involved in the attack tonight, while Alex Freeman was a bit more disciplined defensively on the right side and Sergiño Dest played further up the wing. Freeman looked like he belonged tonight. A really strong World Cup debut from the 21-year-old. I praised Freeman during the two friendlies against Senegal and Germany in the buildup to the tournament, and he looked like he belonged tonight. A very encouraging start to the tournament from both. Robinson scored a banger of a volley against Germany last week and continued to look like a threat down the left wing. He’ll be a key part of the U.S. attack on that side of the field. I thought Richards’ leadership was felt early on in this game, especially in the first half. The game started with a half-chance for Paraguay inside the box, but Chris helped calm things down after that alongside his 38-year-old partner. In the second half, they both made mistakes on the goal. Richards gambled maybe a bit too much and didn’t make contact with the ball on his first attempt, and then Ream kind of dangled out a leg and didn’t make any contact with a Paraguayan player with it. I also want to note that the passing out of the back was good. Ream had a few good balls forward to find Malik Tillman and Weston McKennie in midfield, which is what he’s expected to do with that left foot. Also, Richards quite literally did not miss a pass. He completed all 83 of the passes that he attempted, the most passes with a 100% accuracy rate since 1966. I thought the midfield three were all excellent, but for different reasons. The balance they afforded one another was a joy to watch. Tyler picked up a yellow card, but beyond that, he covered ground and moved all over the pitch to complement Tillman and McKennie. He remained more disciplined while allowing Tillman and McKennie to have the freedom to move further up the pitch. I thought Weston’s energy was incredible. The way he was consistently an option in the final third was encouraging, and that was clear on the first U.S. goal. He picked the ball up in midfield and had multiple Paraguayan players around him, but he was able to get the ball out to Christian on the left. The best part, though, is that Wes continued his run after playing the pass and got the USA touch before Damian Bobadilla put the ball into his own net. It was also an encouraging performance from Tillman, whose quality and calmness on the ball showed throughout. His ability to set the tempo was necessary and impressive. It also looked like he had a great understanding with Adams. A lot of pressure and responsibility on his shoulders. He came back into form just before this tournament in terms of finding the stat sheet with goals and assists. Hopefully, Pulisic’s calf injury was nothing too significant. Fantastic in the first half with his movement, creating chances, creating space for other players. His dribbling was sharp and quick, and he caused problems throughout the first half. That’s how the first goal for the U.S. came about. He skipped by two defenders and then picked out a pass to McKennie, whose attempted pass to Balogun was turned into the net. Also of note, Christian’s chemistry with Flo was excellent. If those first 45 minutes were any indication, the rest of the tournament better watch out. The only reason this rating isn’t higher is that he only played 45 minutes. Hopefully, he’s ready to go next week to face Australia. It’s the goals, it’s the way he took his goals, and it’s also his overall play, which I thought was excellent. Obviously, the two great finishes from Flo are worth celebrating, but there was more to his performance. The way he occupied both of Paraguay’s center backs was great. He was strong throughout the game, held up the ball and really powered the U.S. attack. Flo’s movement was spot on for a center forward. He ran into the channels very well and was able to play well with a defender on his back. He also led the Americans’ counter-press against the Paraguayan defense and was spot-on with his movement as a defender. He was a big reason that the Americans’ game plan worked so well. My man Peter Crouch suggested that Balogun might be looking at a Golden Boot with a start like that to his tournament. I’m encouraged to see where his tournament can go from here. I love Sergiño higher up the pitch. Initially, I wasn’t so sure. I liked him starting as an attacking fullback, but he thrived by having more freedom to simply start further up the pitch. His maintaining the width on the right wing with some silky smooth dribbling at times caused problems and kept the Paraguay left back, Júnior Alonso, wide, which helped create space for the midfield to run into. Sergiño’s ability to start further up the pitch really makes him a wild card. He’s unpredictable. It’s hard to plan how to defend him because you don’t know where he’s going to play. Tonight, that caused so many problems for Paraguay. Bonus: A 10 for head coach Mauricio Pochettino. Poch got everything right tonight. First, he picked the right lineup in his debut as a World Cup manager (including the decision to bring on Gio Reyna late!). This lineup looked good against Germany without Richards, and his inclusion was a great addition. Second, the approach of how they wanted to create space and maintain width was spot on. The game plan was perfect, much like the USA for the majority of the match.​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports

The second day of the 2026 FIFA World Cup provided some magical moments from the hosts. The U.S. cruised past Paraguay, while Cyle Larin late equalizer ignited an electric atmosphere in Toronto. Here is everything you might have missed from Day 2 of the 2026 FIFA World Cup: Canada vs. Bosnia and Herzegovina United States vs. Paraguay BEST OF THE DAY Assist Of The Day It was a massive moment for Canada in the 78th minute as Cyle Larin expertly controlled, turned, and finished after receiving a brilliant first-time pass from Promise David. The forward’s clever one-touch ball, played with the outside of his boot, split the Bosnian defense and found Larin in space. It was a moment of creativity and quality that Canada desperately needed against a disciplined Bosnian back line, with only a touch of ingenuity capable of unlocking their stubborn defensive structure. Save Of The Day A potential Save of the Tournament candidate on match day 2 came from Saed Kolašinac, who produced a heroic last-ditch goal-line block in the 53rd minute. His intervention deflected the ball onto the crossbar and out, preserving Bosnia and Herzegovina’s lead. Canada eventually found an equalizer later in the match to earn a point, but Kolašinac’s remarkable defensive play may ultimately prove to be the reason Bosnia escaped Toronto with a valuable draw. Goal Of The Day An incredible goal from Gio Reyna, who curled a trivela with the outside of his boot past the Paraguayan goalkeeper, who had no chance of making the save. Reyna came off the bench after a difficult club season in which he struggled to break into the Borussia Mönchengladbach lineup, but coach Mauricio Pochettino still put his faith in him by including him in the squad. Reyna repaid that trust with a moment of individual brilliance. Moment Of The Day The United States could not have gotten off to a better start, cruising past Paraguay at Los Angeles Stadium. It was a rocking atmosphere in Los Angeles as Folarin Balogun bagged a brace, alongside an opening own goal, to lead the U.S. to a 3–1 victory. It’s the kind of performance that can fuel a dream run for the Americans.​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports

LOS ANGELES STADIUM — Four years ago, at the last FIFA World Cup in Qatar, the U.S. men’s national team scored just three goals in four games. It took the team just 45 minutes of the 2026 event to equal that output. And then another 45 minutes to make history. The tournament co-hosts kicked off their World Cup campaign on Friday with aplomb, running out to a three-goal lead in the first half over Paraguay on the strength of two goals from forward Folarin Balogun. The U.S. had not scored three times in the opening stanza of any World Cup since its 2002 opener against Portugal, which began a memorable run to that year’s quarterfinals — still the best performance at the planet’s biggest sporting event since the inaugural tournament in 1930. Do you believe in omens? It wasn’t a perfect start to the World Cup — the Paraguayans pulled one back in the second half before Gio Reyna scored a golazo with the outside of his right foot deep into second half stoppage time — but it was close. And with that last score, it became the first time ever the U.S. scored four goals in a men’s World Cup match. Here are my takeaways following the USA’s dominant 4-1 triumph: 1. USA Makes Its Own Luck In An Empathic Win In baseball, they say the first at-bat of a new season sets the tone for everything that happens after. In the first game of a World Cup, the first goal of the tournament is even more important. The USA got there fewer than seven minutes into Friday’s match, following a ferociously intense start. It was a little bit fortunate, with Paraguayan midfielder Damián Bobadilla inadvertently turning Weston McKennie’s attempted feed to forward Folarin Balogun past keeper Orlando Gill for an own goal. But you make your luck at this level, and the Americans certainly did, with defender Alex Freeman starting the play almost 100 yards from the visiting net with a long pass to McKennie, who found Christian Pulisic out wide before getting a return pass from the Stars and Stripes top attacker. It was the third-fastest lead the U.S. has ever taken at a World Cup. For a team looking to make a deep run on home soil this summer, omens don’t come much better than that. “The first game is always the most difficult, to get the nerves out of the way,” Balogun said. “We were able to do that really quickly.” 2. Folarin Balogun Lives Up To The Billing During a lengthy interview last September, the USA’s top striker told me that he often daydreamed about lining up for the national anthem in this stadium before the country’s first game at the 2026 World Cup. He surely thought about scoring in it, too. The New York-born, London-reared Balogun, who chose to play for the USA over England three years ago, thought he’d found the net in the 28th minute, only for VAR to cancel it out for offside. Three minutes later, Balogun collected a Pulisic pass and beat Gill again. There was no question that this one would count. The 24-year-old wasn’t done, putting Mauricio Pochettino’s team up by three on the stroke of halftime with his second of the match. It marked the first time in 96 years that any American had a multi-goal performance in a single World Cup match, when Bert Patenaude had a hat trick, also against Paraguay in 1930. It was a strike worthy of history. “It was a dreamy night,” Balogun said afterward. “I visualized my debut in the World Cup, scoring, but yeah, the reality did surpass that, scoring two goals, and the second goal was a fantastic goal as well.” “The kid’s insane, Pulisic said of Balogun. “He’s lethal right now in front of goal. We’re really lucky to have him.” 3. Concern For Christian Pulisic? While Balogun was the obvious Man of the Match, Pulisic was almost as important; Pochettino’s No. 10 was at the heart of almost every foray into the Paraguayan side of the field during that pulsating start. But when the second period began, Pulisic was on the bench. There was no immediate word on why. Is he injured? Was it precautionary? Or, with such a lopsided advantage, did Pochettino simply decide to rest arguably his most irreparable offensive weapon ahead of next week’s second Group D encounter, against Australia in Seattle? “We didn’t want to take any risks,” Pochettino said after the 4-1 win. Television cameras seemed to show Pulisic indicating to his family members that he was fine. But for a player who has frequently battled injury — and who’s slick dribbling ability and status always invites robust tackles — it’s something to keep an eye on as the first round progresses. “I just got a bit of a kick in the first half, so I’m really hoping that it’s nothing,” Pulisic explained. “Taking a little bit of precaution today, but I’m hoping I’ll be fine the next few days.” 4. The Home Team Can’t Get Ahead Of Itself Sure, the American players earned the right to celebrate following such a dominant and commanding performance in which they enjoyed almost 70 percent of possession against an opponent that was chasing almost the entire match. U.S. supporters definitely are; how many new fans did this team make over those incredible first 45? Still, they conceded another preventable goal before Reyna added the fourth. Make no mistake: Pochettino will be telling his charges to stay humble and focused, even if history suggests that the squad now already has a foot in the second round. He’s right. There are still two group games left; finishing first will be hugely beneficial if and when they reach the knockout stage. The home team has a ton of momentum, but the hardest work of all remains ahead of it. “There’s still a lot more than we want to do,” said Pulisic. “We’ll enjoy this one tonight, spend some time with our families, then we’re going to get right back to work. “We can take a deep breath,” he added. “There’s still so much more we want to accomplish in this tournament.” 4 ½. Next Up Are The Socceroos In Seattle As crucial as taking all three points from their first World Cup match was, beating Australia on June 19 could clinch Group D and make the group finale, back here against Türkiye on June 25, moot depending on other results. (Australia and Türkiye meet on Saturday.) With this one done, that match now becomes the USA’s singular focus when Pochettino’s squad returns to training at its base in Irvine, California, on Monday.​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports