Following a glitzy build-up which featured a performance from Katy Perry, watched on by Hollywood A-listers like Tom Cruise in the stands and with thousands of fans decked out in the stars and stripes, they would have been forgiven for wilting under the pressure at a packed SoFi Stadium.
BlackPink's Lisa, Brazilian superstar Anitta, and Nigerian Afrobeats star Rema delivered the live debut of "Goals" — and in doing so, Lisa became the first Thai artist and the first female K-pop act ever to headline a FIFA World Cup opening ceremony. Folarin Balogun scored twice and Christian Pulisic ran roughshod over Paraguayan defenders as the United States recorded a dominating 4-1 victory in their World Cup opener.
“It was an incredible start,” former Chelsea man, Pulisic said after the game.
“But there’s a lot more we still have to do.” Balogun added: “I think the first game is always the most difficult, you know, to get the nerves out of the way.
“You want a result like this and it gives you a lot of confidence for the next game.” In one of the final touches of the match, U.S. veteran Gio Reyna found the top corner of the net from about 17 yards out, adding one more thrill for the capacity crowd.
Mauricio Magalhães did give Paraguay a glimmer of hope with his goal in the 73rd minute, but La Albirroja never really posed a serious challenge to the hosts. So, even though three points were already in the bag by then, the goal was an emotional moment for Americans to celebrate Reyna. “It’s a dream, it’s a dreamy night,” Balogun said, summing up the co-host’s opener.
For USA coach Mauricio Pochettino, it’s the perfect start, being mindful of the huge pressure that the country is under to succeed in a shared home tournament. For the country, the perfect start may just be the catalyst for World Cup success all round.