Los Angeles delivered the World Cup opener Gianni Infantino must have dreamed about. Under a soft Pacific dusk at SoFi Stadium, the United States dispatched their Group A opponents with a performance of rhythm, swagger and unmistakable intent, the hosts announcing themselves to a tournament they have waited three decades to stage on home soil since 1994. Christian Pulisic, captain and conductor, scored inside 11 minutes. Folarin Balogun added a second before the half. By the time Weston McKennie thumped in a third early in the second period, the 70,240 inside SoFi were on their feet, and Mauricio Pochettino was permitting himself the smallest of smiles on the touchline.
This was the night Pochettino’s tenure stopped being theoretical. The Argentine, appointed in September 2024 to drag a fractured squad through to a home World Cup, had endured a turbulent build-up: friendly defeats to Panama and Colombia in last summer’s Copa America hangover, public unease about Gio Reyna’s role, and persistent questions about whether this group was hardened enough for the bright lights. The answer, on the evidence of 90 minutes in Inglewood, is that the lights suit them just fine.
Pochettino’s blueprint comes into focus
Pochettino set the United States up in a 4-2-3-1 with Tyler Adams and McKennie as the double pivot, Pulisic operating as a free No 10, and Balogun leading the line. The system has been months in the making, and it functioned with the crispness of a side that has finally absorbed its instructions. Adams broke up play in midfield with the relentlessness that once made him a Premier League regular at Leeds. McKennie surged forward at every opportunity. Antonee Robinson, the Fulham left-back, was a constant outlet down the flank, supplying the cross from which Balogun headed home the second goal.
The most encouraging note for Pochettino was the speed of the transitions. The United States have, for years, been a team that defended deep and counter-attacked in straight lines. Here they pressed high, won the ball in the opposition third on at least a dozen occasions, and moved it with the kind of patience that suggests genuine tactical evolution. “We have worked on this for nine months,” Pochettino told Fox Sports afterwards. “The players, they trust the idea now. Tonight you saw the idea.”
Balogun answers the questions
The most pressing pre-tournament debate concerned the centre-forward position. Ricardo Pepi’s club form at PSV had stalled, Josh Sargent was carrying a hamstring complaint, and Pochettino’s decision to start Balogun, the Monaco striker who switched allegiance from England in 2023, was not universally welcomed by a fanbase still grappling with his late conversion. The 24-year-old responded with the most complete performance of his international career: a thumping header from Robinson’s cross, two further chances created, and a relentless willingness to press the opposition centre-backs.
Balogun’s emergence carries broader significance. Since Clint Dempsey’s retirement in 2018, the United States have searched for a striker who can lead the line at elite level. Jozy Altidore, Bobby Wood, Gyasi Zardes, Jesus Ferreira and Pepi have all auditioned; none have nailed down the role for a major tournament. If Balogun maintains this level through the group stage, Pochettino will have solved the single biggest problem any United States coach has faced for almost a decade.
What it means for the tournament
A confident host nation matters disproportionately at a World Cup. Mexico in 1986, France in 1998, Germany in 2006 and Russia in 2018 all rode early momentum deep into the knockout rounds. The United States, drawn in a Group A that also contains Mexico, Canada’s qualifying playoff winner and a UEFA play-off survivor, will fancy their chances of topping the group and securing a kinder last-16 tie. A round-of-16 berth would match their best home performance from 1994, when Alexi Lalas and Tony Meola took the hosts to the second round before falling to Brazil.
The wider tournament also benefits. Fifa’s 48-team format has been criticised as bloated, and the opening fortnight needs narrative momentum to convert sceptics. A hosting nation playing with verve, a recognisable star in Pulisic, and a tactical project that finally looks coherent under one of the most respected coaches in the world game, provides exactly that. Pochettino’s side travel to Seattle for their second group fixture on Tuesday, knowing that a second win would all but secure qualification before the final round of matches.
For one night, at least, Los Angeles delivered the spectacle, and the hosts delivered the substance. Both will be needed in the weeks ahead.
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.
237 articles published
