Alex Freeman was USMNTs unflappable unsung hero in World Cup debut

IRVINE, Calif.— Yes, the U.S.

men’s national team really did that.A dominant performance to beat Paraguay 4-1 on Friday night felt even better in the cold light of day.The U.S.

had never scored four times in a World Cup game before; Folarin Balogun became the first American with a World Cup brace since 1930; 15.6 million watched on Fox.“The United States won with absolute justice and clarity,” Paraguay manager Gustavo Alfaro said in Spanish.“They surpassed us tactically, they surpassed us technically, and they surpassed us physically.”The three points gained all but guarantees the USMNT will go through to the knockout round given the format in which eight of 12 teams that finish third in the group will advance.

Their goal, however, should clearly be winning Group D — something that looks completely attainable now.Here are some next-day observations from the opener.Every match of the FIFA World Cup will air on either FOX or FOX Sports 1.If you don’t have cable, you can take advantage of a DIRECTV free trial to stream it all.Prefer to check out the action live and in person? Shop World Cup 2026 tickets on SeatGeek and make sure to use promo code NYPOST10 for $10 off purchases over $250 at checkout if you’re a first-time SeatGeek user....