‘Start believing’: World in awe of ‘watershed’ USA win
Long-suffering United States football fans are daring to dream after the tournament hosts produced perhaps their best performance in World Cup history.
The USA tore apart Paraguay 4-1 to send a big statement to their next Group D opponents - Australia - and indeed the whole competition.
Folarin Balogun celebrates scoring against Paraguay with Chris Richards. AP Photo/Andre Penner
“We were speaking before the game about believing,” Sweden legend Zlatan Ibrahimovic said on Fox’s post-game coverage.
“My message to the American people is, if you didn’t believe before the game, that performance in the first half - start believing... this American team can do something big.”
The USA scored only three goals combined in their four matches at the Qatar World Cup four years ago, and they had never scored more than three in a World Cup match.
But the Americans were a team transformed while playing in new coach Mauricio Pochettino’s more creative system in front of a passionate, star-studded Los Angeles crowd of 70,492.
“There was a lot of talk about them but even I’ve been blown away by their movement patterns, their one-two passing,” Socceroos great Harry Kewell said on SBS.
“Their attacking play has been fantastic. So Pochettino… he couldn’t have asked for a better start.
“First word that comes to my mind is wow. It wasn’t the performance I was expecting from this US team, and the performance from Paraguay.
Looking at this game, you have to take your hat off and credit US because it kind of looked like more of a European team, an attacking team.
“The way they flowed through movements, the way they were picking up areas, unlocking the defence. When they got into areas, they didn’t just pass and move, they actually attacked players.”
Folarin Balogun scored twice in the Americans’ historic three goal first half, and Christian Pulisic had an assist in a stellar first half playmaking performance.
Gio Reyna ripped another goal in the dying moments of added time, giving the Americans four goals in a World Cup match for the first time.
“This is a watershed moment in US soccer history, and everything this country’s federation hoped tonight would be,” Austin Green wrote for The Athletic.
After the USA went ahead on an early own goal created by Pulisic’s playmaking, Balogun scored in the 31st minute and again in the fifth minute of first half added time.
The London-raised striker made his World Cup debut with the first multi-goal performance from a USA player in the tournament since 1930.
Folarin Balogun of the United States celebrates his side's fourth goal scored by Giovanni Reyna. Getty
New York-born Balogun chose to represent the USA three years ago instead of staying in the English system, where he likely would have struggled to make the Three Lions’ roster - and the 24-year-old Monaco star has swiftly provided the top-level striker play historically lacking on USA rosters.
Pulisic was replaced by Sebastian Berhalter at halftime as a precaution after taking a kick to his left calf but signalled to family in the stands that he was fine.
“I’m staying positive. I don’t think it’s anything,” the AC Milan midfielder said.
Pulisic created the first two goals with exceptional runs down the left side.
In the seventh minute, he cleverly split two defenders and passed to Weston McKennie, whose centering touch hit Paraguay midfielder Damian Bobadilla’s outstretched foot and went in, setting off pandemonium in the SoFi Stadium stands.
The Americans gradually amplified their attack centered around Pulisic’s runs - and three minutes after an apparent goal from Balogun was erased by an offside call, Pulisic again drove the left side and got a deflected pass to the trailing Balogun, who banged it home.
United States fans cheer at the FIFA Fan Festival at LA Memorial Coliseum. Getty
With first half added time winding down, Malik Tillman weighted a long pass to a streaking Balogun, who held up to create space and fired a brilliant shot into the far top corner.
The Americans were less cohesive without Pulisic in the second half, but Reyna still added the finishing touch by gliding into the box and toe-flicking home his first World Cup goal.
The moment was sweet for Reyna, who barely played at the Qatar World Cup amid a messy family dispute with former coach Gregg Berhalter.
The USA finished third at the 1930 World Cup and their best recent finish was the quarter-finals in 2002.
“So, so proud. We know it’s only the start, and it’s nothing. Now we have to be intelligent and keep going,” Pochettino said.
“The fans were amazing. On behalf of the whole team, massive thank you to the fans. The energy translated to the team was amazing.”
Dozens of American celebrities and cultural icons turned out for the match 16km south of Hollywood, including Tom Cruise, George Lucas, Bill Gates, Halle Berry, Leonardo DiCaprio, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and David and Victoria Beckham.
President Donald Trump called the team to wish them good luck before the match but did not attend.
Tom Cruise, David Beckham and Victoria Beckham during the USA national anthem. AP Photo/Andre Penner
There has been speculation he could attend the clash with Australia in Seattle on June 20 (AEST).
“Mr President asked me if we could win the World Cup. I said of course!” Pochettino said.
The Socceroos open their campaign against Turkiye on Sunday (2pm AEST).
Former USA star Landon Donovan has described Australia coach Tony Popovic as “smug”.
“I’ve seen all the US stuff, and I’m just sick of it, to be honest,” Socceroos midfielder Connor Metcalfe said.
“Like all this talk - it’s just - let’s just wait for the game, whatever happens, happens. It’s just so much rubbish and I’m just sick of it.
“We’ll just wait and we’ll play - it’ll be a good game.
“We had a friendly against them (a 2-1 loss last year). It was tense, it was feisty, and probably going to be the exact same.”
