Coaching the U.S. was a big test for Mauricio Pochettino. Then his World Cup opener went ‘amazing.’
NBC News • • sports
Key Points:
- U.S. soccer coach Mauricio Pochettino had a highly successful World Cup debut, leading the U.S. to a historic 4-1 victory over Paraguay, marking the first time the U.S. scored four goals in a World Cup match.
- Folarin Balogun became the first U.S. men’s player since 1930 to score multiple goals in a single World Cup game, contributing to the largest winning margin for the U.S. men’s team in history.
- Pochettino emphasized the importance of extended preparation time with the national team, highlighting that the World Cup was the only opportunity to truly coach the team due to limited training windows.
- The U.S. dominated offensively against a strong Paraguayan defense, with key plays including an own goal and goals from Balogun and Gio Reyna, earning high praise from former U.S. player Alexi Lalas.
- Despite the strong start, Pochettino remains cautious, reminding that this was just the first of three group-stage matches, but he expressed confidence in the team’s potential to win the tournament.