Well that was not a bad way to start, was it? On Friday night, in their highly-anticipated World Cup opener at SoFi Stadium, the United States easily swatted aside Paraguay 4-1 in LA. Mauricio Pochettino's team enjoyed the dream start, going ahead after only nine minutes, when Weston McKennie's cut back was deflected into his own net by Damián Bobadilla.
After that, Folarin Balogun scored twice in 14 minutes before half time, before Gio Reyna applied the icing on a very delicious cake, courtesy of a gorgeous outside of the boot curler, deep into stoppage time, doing so off the bench. In the first half in particular, the U.S. were cutting through Paraguay with ease. Christian Pulisic was outstanding during that opening 45, giving Juan José Cáceres nightmares, before being taken off at half time, albeit he later confirmed that this was a precaution.
Given the tournament format, in which eight of 12 third-place finishers go through, the United States have pretty much already done enough to advance, considering their now excellent goal difference. Nevertheless, getting off to a good start was always going to be important for the co-hosts, as has been the case at previous editions for the Stars and Stripes.
Previous USMNT World Cup opening results
World Cup | Opening result | Total points | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
1930 | Won 3-0 vs. Belgium | 4/4 | Semi-finals |
1934 | Lost 7-1 vs. Italy | Single-elimination | Round of 16 |
1950 | Lost 3-1 vs. Spain | 2/6 | Group stages |
1990 | Lost 5-1 vs. Czechoslovakia | 0/6 | Group stages |
1994 | Drew 1-1 vs. Switzerland | 4/9 | Round of 16 |
1998 | Lost 2-0 vs. Germany | 0/9 | Group stages |
2002 | Won 3-2 vs. Portugal | 4/9 | Quarter-finals |
2006 | Lost 3-0 vs. Czech Republic | 1/9 | Group stages |
2010 | Drew 1-1 vs. England | 5/9 | Round of 16 |
2014 | Won 2-1 vs. Ghana | 4/9 | Round of 16 |
2022 | Drew 1-1 vs. Wales | 5/9 | Round of 16 |
Throughout history, the United States has never gone beyond the first round when losing their World Cup opener. In 1934, the tournament was single elimination, so their 7-1 dismantling at the hands of hosts Italy in Rome simply sent David Gould's team home.
In the group stage era meantime, the U.S. has lost their opener four times, each time failing to recover and make the knockout stages. Their only victory in eight attempts after losing their first game was a famous 1-0 victory over England in Belo Horizonte back in 1950, but William Jeffrey's side still finished bottom of that group. On the flip side, Friday night was only fourth time the United States has won their first match at a World Cup.
All the way back at the inaugural edition in 1930, they beat both Belgium and then Paraguay 3-0 in Montevideo en route to the semi-finals, hoping history will repeat itself almost a century on. In modern times, USA's only opening game wins, before last night, came in 2002 and 2014. In South Korea, Bruce Arena's team beat Portugal before getting all the way to the quarter-finals, the last time the United States reach the last eight. They also defeated Ghana in the last minute in Natal 12 years ago, advancing at Portugal's expense, before being defeated by Belgium in Salvador.
Well, based on how they performed in LA, perhaps Pochettino's team could replicate the 2002 exploits on home soil, or perhaps even those of 1930, who knows, the sky appears to be the limit.
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