Folarin Balogun Dropped TWO Goals Against Paraguay, And Australia Better Be Ready for a Pulisic-Less USMNT
Okay, 12s, did you even SEE that opener?! The USMNT just ripped Paraguay apart 4-1 in their first 2026 World Cup match, scoring FOUR goals for the first time EVER in a World Cup game! It even equaled our largest World Cup winning margin! But hold up, because while Folarin Balogun went OFF with a brace, our main man Christian Pulisic is OUT for the Australia clash with a calf injury. Talk about a rollercoaster start to our World Cup journey!
Balogun Is On Fire and Chasing History
Seriously, Folarin Balogun is playing like he's got something to prove, and he’s proving it HUGE! He bagged an absolutely electric two goals in that dominant 4-1 thrashing of Paraguay. Can you even believe it? He's already halfway to becoming the first American to net four goals in a World Cup since way back in 1930. That’s nearly a century! He also scored in a friendly against Senegal, even though he only came in for the second half. This 24-year-old is quickly solidifying his spot as our premier scoring option up top.
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He's only the second American man to ever score multiple goals in a World Cup game, putting him right there with Bert Patenaude from the 1930 squad! Remember, he only made the official switch to the USMNT in May 2023, coming over from England's U21 team, and he’s already stacked up an impressive 11 goals in 28 caps for USA. Our dude is absolutely clutch on the biggest stage!
No Pulisic? No Problem (Hopefully) For Australia
Okay, so Pulisic being sidelined with that calf issue is a gut punch, no sugarcoating it. He was forced to exit the Paraguay game at halftime, and now he's officially out for Friday’s clash against Australia. This isn't just a bummer, it means Balogun is going to be leaned on even more heavily, potentially creating additional passing opportunities for him with Puli out of the lineup. The stakes are sky-high for this next match!
The USMNT are still looking strong, listed as -169 money line favorites against Australia, with the over/under for total goals scored set at 2.5. For Balogun himself, the odds are looking good: he’s +150 to score, +350 for an assist, and +120 to record 2+ shots on target. Expert Brandt Sutton, who has been absolutely killing it with profitable picks across multiple leagues since 2025, is backing these plays. We desperately need Balogun to keep that offensive fire going, especially with our Captain America temporarily out of commission. It’s time for the rest of the squad to step up!
So, what's next for our boys? We face Australia this Friday at 3 p.m. ET. With Balogun firing on all cylinders and Pulisic recovering, every single pass, tackle, and shot is going to matter. This World Cup run got incredibly real, incredibly fast. Let's go, USA! We're backing you every step of the way!
This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.