Verdict: USA 4-1 Paraguay — Balogun double fires a host-nation statement

The third co-host made the loudest statement of the lot. The United States tore into Paraguay at SoFi Stadium, romping to a 4-1 win that equalled their joint-best result in World Cup history.

It was a near-perfect opening half. An early own goal from Damián Bobadilla set the tone in the seventh minute, and Folarin Balogun struck twice before the break to put the game out of sight. Maurício pulled one back for Paraguay, but Giovanni Reyna had the final word deep in stoppage time. Pulling the strings throughout was Christian Pulisic, who ran roughshod over the Paraguayan defence.

For Mauricio Pochettino's side, it is the ideal start on home soil — and a warning to the rest of the tournament. The hosts mean business.

The USA's group is wide open. Track it on our match tracker and read about the rivalry that defines the region in Mexico v USA: CONCACAF's fiercest rivalry.