World Cup 2026 Roundup: USA Thrash Paraguay 4-1, Brazil Held by Morocco

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title: “World Cup 2026 Roundup: USA Thrash Paraguay 4-1, Brazil Held by Morocco”
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# World Cup 2026 Roundup: USA Thrash Paraguay 4-1, Brazil Held by Morocco

The 2026 World Cup is in full swing across North America, and Matchday 1 has already delivered drama, stunning performances, and talking points. Here’s your complete roundup of the biggest stories from the tournament so far.

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## 🇺🇸 USA 4-1 Paraguay — Hosts Announce Themselves in Style

If there were any doubts that the USA were ready to live up to the pressure of being a co-host, they were dispelled in 45 brilliant minutes at Los Angeles Stadium.

**Scoreline: USA 4-1 Paraguay**
| Team | Goals | Scorers |
|——|——-|———|
| 🇺🇸 USA | 4 | Folarin Balogun (2), Christian Pulisic, Gio Reyna |
| 🇵🇾 Paraguay | 1 | [Unknown] |

Three goals in a whirlwind first half, capped by a sublime fourth from Gio Reyna in stoppage time, secured a dominant win in Group D. The USA’s high-pressing, attacking style — installed by manager Mauricio Pochettino over the past 20 months — was simply too much for Paraguay to handle.

### Key Takeaways from USA vs Paraguay

– **First time since 1930** that the USA has won a World Cup match by three goals
– The US had **71% possession** in the first half
– **Katy Perry** performed the pre-match show, with **Tom Cruise** among the A-list crowd
– **17 of 26 USA players** ply their trade in Europe’s top five leagues

Former US goalkeeper Tony Meola said: *”We are so much more established now. We have players playing all around the world, we have an incredible league. Now we are a football nation.”*

The USA now face Turkey and Australia in their remaining Group D fixtures.

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## 🇧🇷 Brazil 1-1 Morocco — Vinicius Jr Saves the Day

At MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, five-time champions Brazil were pushed to the limit by an inspired Morocco side.

Morocco took a shock lead in the 21st minute when **Ismael Saibari** lifted the ball over Alisson Becker after a communication breakdown between the Liverpool keeper and his defenders. It was the first time an African side had scored against South American opposition at a World Cup since 1970.

By the 30th minute, Morocco had registered **12 shots** — the most Brazil have faced in a World Cup match since 2018.

But Vinicius Jr, on his **50th cap for Brazil**, produced a moment of magic. Collecting a pass from Bruno Guimaraes, he cut inside and unleashed a fierce strike past Yassine Bounou to level the score.

Brazil’s remarkable **92-year unbeaten first-match record** remains intact, but Carlo Ancelotti’s side will need to improve.

### What’s Next for Brazil and Morocco

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## 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 Scotland Return After 28 Years

Scotland are set to begin their first World Cup campaign since 1998 when they face Haiti in Group C at Boston. Haiti, making just their second World Cup appearance (first since 1974), will be dangerous opponents with Premier League talent like **Wilson Isidor (Sunderland)** and **Jean-Ricner Bellegarde (Wolves)** in their squad.

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## Other Headlines

– **🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 England** training equipment was stolen ahead of their arrival in Kansas City. Most equipment has been recovered.
– **🇮🇷 Iran** won four staff visa appeals, but 11 team members remain banned from entering the United States.
– **⚽ VAR Controversy:** FIFA is under pressure to release VAR images after a disputed offside call during Qatar’s draw with Switzerland.
– **📋 New Rules:** New VAR diving rules and tweaks to existing regulations are causing early-tournament confusion.

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## Upcoming Fixtures to Watch

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## Looking Ahead

The opening round of group matches has set the tone for a thrilling tournament. The USA’s dominant performance has shifted expectations — can Pochettino’s men go beyond the quarter-finals for the first time since 2002? Can Brazil regroup after a shaky start? And will Scotland end their 28-year World Cup drought with a win?

Stay tuned for more updates as the 2026 World Cup continues across the United States, Canada, and Mexico.

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**Which team has impressed you most so far? Share your thoughts in the comments below!**

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