Supreme victory
©IMAGO
Double goalscorer Folarin Balogun, after the highest World Cup victory by a US national team and the convincing opening party, quickly thought about the big goal at this World Cup: the title. The co-hosts won their start against Paraguay 4:1 (3:0) and immediately established themselves as favorites in their Group D.
With two goals, Balogun played a decisive role in the impressive first appearance and then remembered the words of his coach Mauricio Pochettino. “He often said: Why not us? We have to believe in it. If you don’t believe in yourself, you won’t achieve anything,” said the striker. “It’s a dream. That was a wonderful night.”
Leverkusen professional Malik Tillman did not immediately look ahead to the World Cup final on July 18th at the gates of New York, but Balogun, who provided the assist for the 3-0 win, also saw the start in front of celebrities such as Tom Cruise, David Beckham and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio as a sign of great strength and sovereignty in dealing with the great expectations of this tournament.
“We can appear very confident in the next two games,” said the Nuremberg-born professional, who particularly liked the loud and frenetic support in the stadium south of Los Angeles. «We already had questions beforehand. For example, last summer in the Gold Cup against Guatemala, the whole stadium was against us, even though it was a home game,” he said.
Against Paraguay, however, the vast majority of the official 70,492 spectators – some seats and suites remained unused for the entire duration of the game – ensured a real World Cup atmosphere and a clear home advantage. “As an American, having that audience, all the red, white and blue, all the red and white stripes on the shirts – it was great,” said Christian Pulisic. The team’s leader was substituted at half-time when the score was 3-0, but gave the all-clear after the game. He only received a blow to his left calf, he’s not worried.
Double goalscorer Balogun has US experts raving about it
With an own goal from Damian Bobadilla (7th minute), the game took the direction the US fans had hoped for early on, double goalscorer Balogun (31st minute/45th+5) ensured an exuberant atmosphere and a perfect debut before the break. “That was the best first half ever for a men’s national team at the World Cup level. Complete dominance. It doesn’t get any better than this,” said ex-national player Alexi Lalas on the FOX TV channel during the break.
Lalas did not get more than a 1-1 draw with the USA at the last home World Cup in 1994 against Switzerland. 32 years later, his successors had to accept the 1:3 through Mauricio (73′), but they also scored their fourth goal of the evening through Mönchengladbach’s Giovanni Reyna in the eighth minute of stoppage time – thus completing the record victory for a men’s national team at a World Cup.
“That was definitely a statement. Three goals in the first half, in the opening game. “That felt like a real statement,” said Balogun. “The USA put in their best performance ever at a World Cup, with Folarin Balogun devastatingly beating Paraguay – after Donald Trump decided NOT to be there,” commented the British Daily Mail on the start of the third co-host. Next opponent is Australia in Seattle.