USA's 4-1 demolition of Paraguay sends warning to World Cup rivals

Three goals in a whirlwind first half, a sublime fourth from Gio Reyna in stoppage time, and the USA had not only secured a 4-1 win over Paraguay but also announced themselves as serious contenders on home soil. The doubters who questioned whether the co-hosts could handle the pressure of opening their 2026 World Cup campaign were silenced inside 45 brilliant minutes at a stadium where Katy Perry had performed and Tom Cruise watched from the stands. "USA were unbelievable," England great Ellen White told BBC Match of the Day. "You talk about pressure but they grasped at it, they enjoyed it. They probably shocked the world with that performance." Folarin Balogun scored twice for the Americans, whose dominance was so complete that this was the first time since 1930 they had won a World Cup game by three goals. The result, which gave them a perfect start in Group D, has placed immediate pressure on Australia and Turkey, who meet later in the group. Former USA goalkeeper Tony Meola, part of the 1990, 1994 and 2002 squads, said the performance reflected the nation's growing footballing maturity. "Now we are so much more established," Meola said. "We have players playing all round the world, we have an incredible league and have facilities the world is using right now. Those were a pipe dream a few years ago, now we are a football nation." The team has developed significantly under ex-Tottenham boss Mauricio Pochettino over the past 20 months, and while the Argentine manager will be the first to point out that nothing has been won yet, a start like this was pivotal for building both belief and momentum. In Los Angeles, where the match was played, the atmosphere shifted dramatically on the day of the game, with USA shirts dominating on the metro and in bars and coffee shops in the hours before kick-off. After a glitzy build-up featuring Hollywood A-listers and thousands of fans in stars and stripes, the hosts stepped up when it mattered most. For a nation that had largely seemed indifferent about hosting the tournament, the win may well help make a country believe.