The United States kicked off their World Cup campaign in emphatic fashion, crushing Paraguay 4-1 in Los Angeles. Folarin Balogun scored a brace, while Gio Reyna added a stunning curler in stoppage time.

The hosts took the lead in the 7th minute through an own goal by Damian Bobadilla, and by halftime they were 3-0 up, dominating possession with 75% and creating numerous chances.

The match was attended by 70,492 fans, including Hollywood stars Tom Cruise, Leonardo DiCaprio, and Paris Hilton. The US is co-hosting the tournament with Mexico and Canada.

Paraguay pulled one back in the second half through substitute Mauricio, but Reyna sealed the win with a superb strike. The result puts the US in a strong position in Group D, which also includes Australia and Turkey.

The only concern for the US was the halftime withdrawal of star attacker Christian Pulisic due to injury. His absence in the second half saw the US drop off slightly.

The game was preceded by a glitzy opening ceremony featuring Katy Perry, Future, Tyla, Anitta, and K-pop star Lisa. US President Donald Trump did not attend but called the team before kickoff to wish them luck.

Source: www.aljazeera.com