Folarin Balogun delivered the most accomplished performance of his United States career as Mauricio Pochettino’s side swept aside Paraguay 4-1 in a commanding friendly victory at Subaru Park in Chester, Pennsylvania on Thursday night. The 24-year-old Monaco striker scored twice and set up another, anchoring a fluent American attack that produced its most convincing display since the appointment of the Argentine head coach.
Balogun opened the scoring inside 11 minutes, latching onto a clipped Weston McKennie pass before finishing low past Paraguay goalkeeper Roberto Fernandez. He doubled the lead seven minutes after the interval with a header from a Sergino Dest cross, and then turned provider for substitute Haji Wright, whose crisp finish made it 3-1. Christian Pulisic added a late fourth from the penalty spot after Diego Luna had been brought down inside the area. Julio Enciso’s deflected strike just before the hour mark had briefly given Paraguay hope of a comeback.
A striker finally answering the call
For Pochettino, the result is significant. For Balogun, it may prove transformational. The New York-born forward has carried the weight of expectation since switching his international allegiance from England in May 2023, but had previously managed only four goals in 18 caps for the United States. Thursday’s brace doubles that tally in a single evening and arrives at the perfect moment, with the World Cup on home soil now just one year away.
Pochettino, who has consistently defended Balogun through a difficult eighteen-month spell at club level following his £30 million move from Arsenal to Monaco, was vindicated by the performance. The Argentine has repeatedly insisted that Balogun’s all-round play — his pressing, his link-up, his movement in tight spaces — justified his place even when the goals were not arriving. On this evidence, the patience is beginning to pay off.
“He has been working unbelievably hard,” Pochettino said afterwards. “Tonight he was clinical and he was generous. That is the version of Folarin we have always believed in.”
Pochettino’s project taking shape
This was the United States’ eighth match under Pochettino and arguably their most cohesive. The shape — a fluid 4-3-3 with Tyler Adams shielding the back four, McKennie and Yunus Musah pushing forward, and Pulisic drifting inside from the left — has begun to look settled. Dest, restored at right-back after a long injury layoff, was outstanding, while 19-year-old Cavan Sullivan delivered a composed 25-minute cameo from the bench that drew warm applause from his home crowd in suburban Philadelphia.
The areas of concern have not vanished. Chris Richards and Tim Ream were occasionally exposed for pace, and Enciso’s goal owed everything to a mishit clearance from Adams. But the speed at which the United States moved the ball forward, the willingness to commit numbers in transition, and the discipline of the press will all encourage Pochettino as he begins finalising his squad for next summer.
Historical context and the road ahead
The United States have now beaten Paraguay in four of their last five meetings, but more importantly, they have won six of their last seven matches against South American opposition under Pochettino. That is a notable shift. Before his arrival in September 2024, the Stars and Stripes had not strung together back-to-back wins against Conmebol nations since 2016. Pochettino, who arrived with a remit to weaponise a generation of European-based talent for the home World Cup, is steadily delivering measurable progress.
It also continues a wider pattern of CONCACAF nations asserting themselves against South American opposition in the build-up to 2026. Mexico beat Uruguay in March, Canada drew with Argentina in last week’s friendly window, and now the United States have brushed aside a Paraguay side that finished sixth in Conmebol qualifying and will fancy their chances in Group F.
What comes next
The United States travel to Florida on Sunday to face Uruguay in Orlando, the final fixture of this international window and a sterner examination of where Pochettino’s side truly stand. Marcelo Bielsa’s Uruguay, ranked fifth in the world, will provide the kind of resistance Paraguay could not muster.
For Balogun, the immediate challenge is to carry this form back to Monaco, where head coach Sebastien Pocognoli has alternated him with Mika Biereth in recent weeks. A run of goals in Ligue 1 would settle any lingering doubts about his place in Pochettino’s first-choice eleven for next summer.
- Result: United States 4-1 Paraguay (Balogun 11, 52; Wright 67; Pulisic pen 84; Enciso 58)
- Venue: Subaru Park, Chester, Pennsylvania
- Attendance: 18,287
- Next up: USA vs Uruguay, Orlando, Sunday
One year out from the World Cup opener, Pochettino’s United States look like a team beginning to understand themselves. And in Balogun, they may finally have found the centre-forward to lead the line when the eyes of the world turn to North America next June.
Sports journalist and editor at SportsPortal.net. Covers cricket, football, Formula 1, tennis, and basketball with a focus on how global sports connect with Pakistani audiences. Follows the PSL, Pakistan national cricket team, Premier League, and major international tournaments. Has reported on sports for digital audiences since 2021.
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