Coach Pochettino Leads the U.S. to a Big Win Thanks to Balogun's Performance
The U.S. defeated Paraguay 4-1, with Balogun's brace and Pochettino's tactics shining brightly See how his attacking setup, reminiscent of the way Son Heung-min is used, revealed the U.S.'s new striker
The United States, led by coach Mauricio Pochettino, defeated Paraguay 41 in the first match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup group stage. The match was held on the morning of the 13th at LA Stadium in California, USA, and the performances of Christian Pulisic and Folarin Balogun led the team to victory.
Balogun scored the opening goal in the 31st minute of the first half, then completed a brace with a curling leftfooted shot during stoppage time. Local media highlighted him as a new striker leading the U.S. attack, while also spotlighting the 13 goals and 4 assists he recorded in France's Ligue 1 this season.
The article analyzed that Coach Pochettino is making use of Balogun's strengths by meticulously designing the attacking players' movements and use of space. Similar to the tactics he used to effectively utilize Son Heungmin during his time at Tottenham, this approach of maximizing the strengths of the forward line has once again been credited with improving the U.S. national team’s attacking power.