The United States men’s soccer team kicks off their World Cup campaign Friday night against Paraguay, carrying the weight of expectations as tournament co-hosts looking to start strong in what should be a winnable opener.
Ranked 17th globally, the Americans enter as clear favorites in Group D, facing a Paraguay squad sitting at 41st in the world rankings – the lowest among all 48 tournament participants. The group also features Australia and Turkey.
Recent history favors the US, who have defeated the South Americans in their last three encounters, most recently winning 2-1 in a November friendly. The nations first met during the inaugural World Cup in 1930, with the United States claiming victory.
Friday’s match at Los Angeles Stadium in Inglewood promises an electric atmosphere as the home crowd rallies behind a potent American attack led by Weston McKennie, Christian Pulisic and Folarin Balogun, who will aim to find the net early and settle any opening-match jitters.
However, defensive vulnerabilities remain a concern for the Americans. Inexperienced goalkeeper Matt Freese may face significant pressure, as the team has managed just one shutout across their previous 13 matches while surrendering 11 goals over their last four games.
Paraguay presents a contrasting style, built around a rugged defensive foundation designed to neutralize the American offensive threat. “La Albirroja” return to the World Cup stage for the first time since their 2010 quarter-final defeat to eventual champion Spain.
While the Americans received automatic qualification as co-hosts, Paraguay earned their spot through the grueling CONMEBOL qualifying process, finishing sixth among South American automatic qualifiers.
The visitors’ attacking struggles were evident during qualification, managing only 14 goals across 18 matches. Their offensive challenges have been compounded by the loss of primary striker Julio Enciso, who will miss the opener due to a thigh injury.
Paraguay will rely heavily on midfielder Diego Gomez to generate scoring opportunities and provide long-range shooting threats. The 23-year-old’s fitness remains a question mark following a knee injury sustained in April.
Former US international Cobi Jones, a three-time World Cup veteran, emphasized the psychological importance of securing an opening victory, even within the expanded tournament format where only 16 of 48 teams face group-stage elimination.
“That’s how you want to start off,” Jones told Reuters in LA on Tuesday.
“It’s not the be all and end all, but getting three points at the beginning really helps your chances and establishes you as the leaders of the group.”
