New Delhi, June 13 -- It may take a lot more for the 2026 World Cup to come alive, with exorbitant ticket prices, visa issues and concerns among fans, but the United States ticked an important box as co-hosts. It was showtime in Los Angeles on Friday evening as the USA put on a show, thrashing Paraguay 4-1 in the first Group D game.

The star of USA's handsome victory was striker Folarin Balogun, whose two first-half goals steered the hosts into a dominant 3-0 halftime lead. Substitute Giovanni Reyna rounded it off with a flourish, curling it home with the outside of his right boot from the final move of the match.

A World Cup that has set off a number of debates may yet find meaning in Balogun, a 24-year-old who chose to play for the US...