The USMNT officially opened its account at the 2026 World Cup courtesy of an early own goal by Paraguay’s Damián Bobadilla. The USMNT kicked off its highly anticipated 2026 World Cup campaign in the best possible way at Los Angeles Stadium, finding the back of the net just seven minutes into the opening match against Paraguay. The breakthrough came during a frantic and energetic opening sequence. While Paraguay initially looked to dictate the tempo with an aggressive press, Mauricio Pochettino’s backline absorbed the early pressure with composure before executing a fluid counter-attack. Following a brilliant string of one-touch passes down the flank, Christian Pulisic sliced inside and drove the ball toward the center of the box. Juventus midfielder Weston McKennie collected the pass neatly, immediately whipping a low cross into the six-yard box looking to connect with an incoming forward. Faced with intense pressure, Paraguayan midfielder Damián Bobadilla intercepted the cross at full speed, inadvertently bundling the ball directly into the back of his own net. The costly own goal broke the deadlock and sent the home crowd in Los Angeles into absolute raptures, giving the United States an early 1-0 advantage in Group D. OWN GOAL. 1-0 USA! 🇺🇸THE @USMNT SCORES FIRST AND LOS ANGELES IS ABSOLUTELY ELECTRIC! pic.twitter.com/tEbJU8E9PX— FOX Sports (@FOXSports) June 13, 2026 USMNT aims to surpass 2002 World Cup run While the USMNT’s best historical finish at a World Cup came during the inaugural tournament in 1930, where they finished third, their most iconic modern campaign was the legendary run to the quarterfinals at Korea-Japan 2002. In that edition, the USMNT shocked the soccer world by surviving a daunting group that included co-hosts South Korea, Poland, and a heavily favored Portugal side, whom the Americans upset in an epic 3-2 thriller on matchday one. After advancing as the group runners-up and sent the star-studded Portuguese home early, Bruce Arena’s squad set up a high-stakes Round of 16 clash against their longtime regional rivals, Mexico. It was on that stage that rising phenom Landon Donovan cemented his legacy, scoring the dagger to secure a historic 2-0 victory over El Tri and punch the U.S. ticket to the quarterfinals. In the next round, despite outplaying powerhouse Germany for large stretches of the match, the Americans fell just short, dropping a heartbreaking 1-0 decision on a Michael Ballack header to cap off an unforgettable tournament run.
The confirmed lineups for the 2026 World Cup match USMNT vs Paraguay, with Christian Pulisic in the lineup. With the kickoff of the 2026 World Cup already behind some teams, the time has come for the USMNT to make their debut in the competition against Paraguay in Group D, with Christian Pulisic ready to start. This group may easily be the most balanced in the entire tournament, with no team being a clear favorite over any other. For the USMNT, the good feeling they left in the match against Germany despite the 2-1 loss could give them confidence. They were also able to beat Paraguay in a friendly last November. It should be a historic day for Paraguay too, as they are coming back to the highest level, where they have not been since 2010. Their main concern was not a small one, but Julio Enciso was confirmed after the injury he suffered in his team’s farewell friendly. The lineups Mauricio Pochettino opted for this lineup for the USMNT: Matt Freese; Alex Freeman, Chris Richards, Tim Ream, Antonee Robinson; Tyler Adams, Malik Tillman; Sergino Dest, Weston McKennie, Christian Pulisic; Folarin Balogun. Enciso could be on the bench (Christian Alvarenga /Getty Images) Gustavo Alfaro picked this lineup for Paraguay: Orlando Gill (GK); Juan Cáceres, Omar Alderete, Gustavo Gómez (c), Júnior Alonso; Diego Gómez, Andrés Cubas, Damián Bobadilla, Miguel Almirón; Antonio Sanabria, Julio Enciso. Their group The USMNT and Paraguay were placed in Group D with Australia and Turkey, who began the competition on June 13.
