Zamorano destaca el debut eléctrico de Estados Unidos en el Mundial

Iván Zamorano’s praise for the United States did not sound like routine celebration. It came after Mauricio Pochettino’s team overwhelmed Paraguay 4-1 at Los Angeles Stadium, a result built on speed, discipline and a level of conviction that had been missing in recent U.S. outings.

The opener arrived through pressure as much as chance. Damián Bobadilla turned the ball into his own net in the seventh minute, setting the tone for a match in which the Americans never looked tentative. Folarin Balogun then took control, scoring once before halftime and again after the break to give the United States a lead Paraguay could not recover from. Giovanni Reyna added the fourth in stoppage time, sealing a scoreline that FIFA later described as one of the most impressive U.S. performances in a World Cup.

That is where Zamorano’s analysis matters. The former Chile striker pointed not just to the result, but to the way Pochettino had the team prepared for the occasion. Before kickoff, Pochettino said it was “too late for motivational speeches” and expected a difficult test from Paraguay. The response suggested a group already aligned with that message: no drift, no nerves, and no wasted minutes in a tournament opener where early mistakes often decide the tone of a campaign.

The tactical difference was visible in the pace of the start and the balance of the performance. The United States played with immediate urgency, forced Paraguay onto the back foot, and kept enough structure to recover when the game opened up. Balogun’s two goals showed the reward for direct attacking play, while Reyna’s late finish reflected a side that kept its edge until the final whistle. U.S. Soccer called the beginning “electric,” a description that fit the combination of intensity and control.

The win also carried historical weight. FIFA noted that the United States had already beaten Paraguay 3-0 in the inaugural World Cup in 1930, a reminder that this matchup has long framed American tournament ambitions. The Group D path now continues against Australia and Türkiye, and the 26-player roster FIFA confirmed on May 26 was fully available for the debut, according to U.S. Soccer on June 11. If this was only one night, it was still the kind of night that can define a team’s credibility before the harder tests begin.