A sea of red and white striped jerseys flooded downtown Asunción on Friday night to watch Paraguay’s World Cup opener against the United States, the return to the World Cup stage after a 16-year absence. Paraguayan flags waved high, fireworks exploded and chants rose. The air was thick with expectation and families packed into bars. Crowds pressed toward screens in public squares. The Asunción Times was right in the heart of the excitement, that turned into heartbreak in Asunción.
Early cries of disbelief
The match kicked off to a tough start for Paraguay. Just seven minutes into the game, a dangerous American move involving Weston McKennie and Christian Pulisic ended with the ball deflecting off Paraguayan player Damián Bobadilla and into his own net.
With bated breath, the crowd watched as the US scored the first goal. Shock. A sudden silence. Then chaos ensued and the stunned quiet quickly gave way to cries of disbelief. Unfortunately, this set the tone for the evening. Paraguay’s 2026 FIFA World Cup campaign began with disappointment night as the Albirroja fell 4-1 to hosts United States in Los Angeles.
“I am devastated,” responded Paraguayan Mateo Peralta (22). “We did not play the way we usually do. I think the players were very nervous and then, unfortunately, the second half slipped away from us.”
Alderete stunned
Within minutes, the early own goal by Bobadilla had set the tone before Folarin Balogun struck twice to give the United States a commanding 3-0 lead at half-time. The hosts dominated possession, leaving Paraguay at a significant disadvantage.
Paraguayan player Omar Alderete reflected on the collapse in front of the cameras, saying: “We had a bad start, we were very disorganised in our marking, closing down spaces. The game was an uphill battle for us the whole time, and both goals came very quickly.”
Tempers flare
As the match progressed, frustration became increasingly visible. The match arrived with an added edge following a heated confrontation between the sides during their previous friendly match in November 2025, when a stoppage-time altercation resulted in a red card for Alderete.
That intensity, said to be stemming from residual tension, was reflected on the pitch in the World Cup opener. A high number of yellow cards were shown throughout the evening as both teams contested challenges aggressively.
A glimpse of hope
For much of the second half, Paraguay searched for a moment capable of turning the tide in their favour. It finally arrived in the 74th minute, for the Albirroja and for the many thousands of fans in Downtown Asunción. Substitute Maurício Magalhães provided the breakthrough that began with a long ball from goalkeeper Orlando Gill. Miguel Almirón controlled possession before finding Julio Enciso, who delivered the pass for Maurício to finish: 3-1.
The goal sparked renewed belief among Paraguayan fans. In homes and bars where the atmosphere had grown increasingly subdued, there was suddenly reason to hope that an unlikely comeback might still be possible. Although Paraguay remained two goals behind, the strike rewarded the team’s persistence and briefly shifted the momentum of the match.
Reality returns: Heartbreak in Asunción
Any hopes of a dramatic recovery were ultimately short-lived. The United States continued to outpace, and remained dangerous on the counter-attack. Thus, the US gained more opportunities and added a fourth goal in stoppage time: 4-1.
In the heartbreak in Asunción aftermath, Paraguayan reactions reflected the emotional weight of the result. “I am disappointed,” said Micah Koppang (22). “I was rooting for Paraguay, so I am not happy. But hopefully this is just a one-off and Paraguay will perform better in the upcoming matches.”
Looking ahead
Paraguay must now regroup quickly ahead of their second group-stage match against Türkiye in the San Francisco Bay Area on 19 June 2026.
While the scoreline reflected a difficult opening night, head coach Gustavo Alfaro’s side will take encouragement from the attacking move that produced Maurício’s goal and will hope for a sharper performance as they seek to keep their World Cup hopes alive.
The coach remained pragmatic after the defeat, stating: “Now we have to improve in every aspect. We have to win the next few matches, by any score,” underscoring the urgency facing his side.
For the millions of Paraguayan supporters who followed the match deep into the night, the opening chapter of the tournament was a painful one. Yet with two group matches remaining, the Albirroja still have an opportunity to respond and reignite their campaign.
