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Folarin Balogun Scores Twice in US World Cup Debut Victory Over Paraguay

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"It was a very dreamy night."
— Folarin Balogun

USMNT Cruises Past Paraguay in Dominant 4-1 Victory

The United States defeated Paraguay 4-1 on Friday at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California, in front of a lively crowd of 70,492 spectators.

Folarin Balogun scored twice, making history as the first US player to score multiple goals in a World Cup match since 1930. An own goal by Paraguay's Damian Bobadilla gave the US an early 1-0 lead. Christian Pulisic then assisted Balogun's first goal, and Balogun added a second before halftime to cap a dominant first half.

Player Spotlight: Folarin Balogun

  • Born in Brooklyn, New York, to Nigerian parents and raised in London.
  • Trained at Arsenal's academy and represented England at youth levels.
  • Committed to the US national team three years ago.

Teammate Christian Pulisic praised Balogun's form:

"He's lethal right now. We're really lucky to have him."

Balogun reflected on the night, adding that he aims to repay the fans' support:

"I want to repay the support the fans have given me."