USMNT met the World Cup moment in dominant win over Paraguay

INGLEWOOD, Calif. — Who said America wasn’t a soccer country?

For on this Star-Spangled night in front of a star-studded sellout in Los Angeles, the United States Men’s National Team played the sort of football that is best associated with Brazil.

As long as they’ve known this World Cup will be played on home soil, the USMNT has talked about using it to inspire Americans. The 4-1 beatdown of Paraguay they produced on Friday night, the beautiful, flowing, relentless soccer they played, is going to have kids all over the country kicking a ball around imitating them.

That is what this was, and that is why it mattered so far beyond three points in Group D.

“A real dream,” Folarin Balogun said, having netted a brace in his World Cup debut. “A dreamy night.”

From the game’s opening minutes, when Weston McKennie’s pass came off Paraguay’s Damian Bobadilla and into La Albirroja’s net, the U.S. looked so ready for this moment.

Mauricio Pochettino’s side owned the ball. They came in waves, finding pockets of space, relentlessly finding gaps in a Paraguay defense that never, ever had an answer.

“Having this, being in America, having the crowd around us, seeing the red, white and blue, all our red and white striped shirts in the crowd, it’s awesome,” Christian Pulisic said. “Hearing the USA chants, it’s really pushing us forward.”

Pulisic — whose club form and tepid quotes have been dissected endlessly — was the best player on the field before coming off at halftime for Sebastian Berhalter. Juan José Cáceres, the Paraguayan right back with the unfortunate job of attempting to contain him, never had a chance. In the buildup to the opener, Pulisic split Cáceres and Gustavo Gomez; a few minutes later, Cáceres was booked for bringing down No. 10. The rest of the night was a continuation.

Folarin Balogun (R) of the United States celebrates scoring during the group D match between the United States and Paraguay. Xinhua/Shutterstock

Pulisic, in space after Jedi Robinson played him in down the left wing, found Balogun with a cross to make it 2-0 on 31 minutes. The Brooklyn-born, England-raised striker ran to the bench to celebrate with the whole team, and the game got more lopsided from there.

Paraguay barely touched the ball for the rest of the first half, and conceded again in stoppage time after Malik Tillman played in Balogun, who promptly smashed it in with his left foot.

Pulisic was subbed off at halftime, later saying he was kicked in the back of his left calf and is optimistic he will be OK. Tyler Adams’ yellow card is a lingering concern as well given that a second would lead to a suspension.

Christian Pulisic #10 of the United States runs with the ball whilst under pressure from Juan Jose Caceres #4 of Paraguay. Getty Images

Otherwise, it is hard to imagine how this night could have gone better.

“Whenever we walked out and heard the national anthem and seeing the crowd, people singing along, I think that as a moment was something that felt special,” McKennie said. “Felt like something that is hard to describe unless you’re there in that moment. An accumulation of the work that your team puts in and all the guys, all the paths that they took to be here in this moment together. I think that was the turning point for us. That’s what made it special.”

There had been moments and flashes in which the U.S. reached this level during those two friendlies. Perhaps this was the value of facing elite sides in the buildup to the World Cup. Against Paraguay, the Americans found it easier to sustain, and the South American side looked as though it had been hit with a frying pan.

“It’s pretty special to watch,” Pulisic said. “I feel like there’s such a connection between us right now.”

United States’ Malik Tillman, right, competes for the ball with Paraguay’s Gustavo Velazquez, left, and Ramon Sosa. AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill

Antonee Robinson on the left wing, and Sergiño Dest on the right, were terrific. McKennie found pockets of space brilliantly. Balogun, the striker the U.S. recruited like he was a five-star quarterback, performed like someone worthy of the billing. Chris Richards, having missed the last two friendlies with an ankle injury, was a calming force, though the back line did produce a typically brutal moment when Tim Ream failed to clear a bouncing ball in the buildup to Mauricio’s goal that pulled Paraguay to 3-1.

For all the negativity associated with the World Cup, for the ticket prices that charged a month’s rent to get into the building on Friday and the borderline comical corruption of FIFA, the success of this tournament domestically is tied directly to the success of this USMNT.

Like a rocketship at Cape Canaveral, it achieved liftoff on Friday.

“I made the right decision [to represent the U.S.],” Balogun said. “I’m completely proud and I want to make the fans proud as well.”

One giant step for the US of A.