New Delhi, June 15 -- It may take a lot more for the 2026 World Cup to come alive with exorbitant ticket prices, visa issues and many other fan concerns. However, the United States ticked an important column as co-hosts on Saturday morning (IST). It was showtime in Los Angeles on Friday evening as the USA put on some show, thrashing Paraguay 4-1 in the first Group D game. The star of that handsome victory was striker Folarin Balogun whose two first-half goals steered the hosts into a dominant 3-0 halftime lead. Substitute Gio Reyna rounded it off, curving it home with the outside of his right boot off what turned out to be the final move of the match. In a World Cup that has set off so many debates amid turmoil in the USA, meaning will be found in Balogun, a 24-year-old who chose to play for the USA on the basis of his birth right citizenship. He was born in Brooklyn, while his parents of Nigeria origin were visiting from Britain. Raised in England, and playing most of his football there, the talented youngster left Arsenal as he was unable to get playing time. He currently plays for Monaco in Ligue 1. The New York mayor Zohran Mamdani, wearing a New York Knicks shirt under his suit jacket rather than the US football shirt, still exhorted fans to celebrate "the working class" sport. This while FIFA faced sharp criticism for the high prices of tickets while local administrations raised costs for transporting fans to the stadiums. The focus on Day 2 of the tournament was firmly on co-hosts. Canada could not finish and then fought back to hold Bosnia and Herzegovina 1-1 in Toronto in Group B. Watched by a sea of fans in red, Canada took their first point at a World Cup - none having come in 1986 (Mexico) and 2022 (Qatar) - as substitute Cyle Larin's late strike gave Canadian Hollywood stars Mike Myers and Ryan Reynolds something to cheer. Bosnia had led by Jovo Lukic's header off a relayed corner. NBA legend Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Tom Cruise had plenty more to cheer at LA's SoFi Stadium as Mauricio Pochettino's USA team ran rings around the Paraguay defence. Christian Pulisic on the leftwing made life hell for his marker, combining brilliantly with left back Antonee Robinson and Weston McKennie. Sergino Dest constantly cut in from the right. All this left Balogun lurking free on top of the box. USA took the lead off a left wing move, Pulisic slipping in the pass that was diverted into his own goal by Damian Bobadilla in the seventh minute. Paraguay were playing in their first World Cup since 2010 after qualifying as the sixth and final team from COMNEBOL and looked a touch overawed. A Pulisic pass to Balogun was side-footed into the bottom corner in the 31st minute and the powerful forward curled a left-foot shot in first-half added time. Pochettino withdrew Pulisic at half-time and rotated the side, giving Paraguay some respite. Mauricio pulled one back in the 73rd minute, but Reyna added one more....