Balogun makes this USMNT better, including its star, Pulisic

INGLEWOOD, Calif. — The U.S. men’s national team has its star. What if it now has its scorer, too?

That possibility was the most meaningful takeaway from Friday’s 4-1 blowout of Paraguay, a result that left American fans fantasizing about just what a Christian Pulisic-Folarin Balogun partnership might be able to produce over the next few weeks.

“The kid is insane,” Pulisic said of Balogun in the postmatch mixed zone.

“It’s a dreamy night,” Balogun said just a few moments later.

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It was. And yes, sure, of course those two were hardly the only bright lights in this World Cup opener. Malik Tillman was incisive in the midfield and Gio Reyna’s wonder goal to cap the night was sensational; Chris Richards completed literally every pass he attempted. Memorable performers abounded.

But Pulisic’s first half was among the liveliest, most artistically vicious 45 minutes he has delivered for the national team. Two beautiful dribbles set the table for the opening Paraguay own goal. Another inch-perfect pass to Balogun continued the scoring and gave Pulisic his 21st national team assist. And the way Balogun converted the openings created by Pulisic’s cutting moves, while also showing off his own prowess in front of goal, offered the best of what American attacking could be.

“He just glides by people,” Tyler Adams said of Pulisic. “He’s one of the best players in his position in the world. And I don’t say that lightly. When he’s firing on all cylinders, he’s one of the best one-vs.-one players I’ve ever seen.”

Did Balogun’s presence allow Pulisic more freedom to attack from the wing, allowing him to push forward and create instead of feeling pressure to score on his own? It surely didn’t hurt. And the ease with which Pulisic played was exactly what anyone who has followed his career has craved to see consistently.

“I’ve always said it, and I will continue to say it, and I continue to back him up and the whole team will as well,” Weston McKennie said. “Christian’s a guy that shows up in the big moments when you need him. And I think that’s what he did today.”

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It should be said: This wasn’t against a cupcake, either. Paraguay certainly didn’t play well on the night, but it is still a team that beat both Argentina and Brazil during CONMEBOL qualifying.

For the USMNT to be able to put in such a dominating performance against this kind of an opponent on this big a stage is meaningful. That can’t be glossed over.

“You can hope for a performance like that,” Pulisic said. “You can expect a performance like that, but you can’t be certain that that’s the level of performance that you’re going to see in the first match.”

Tactically, the U.S. poked holes, over and over, in the Paraguay block, cutting behind and forcing their defenders to chase them. Tillman’s work in the midfield was critical, but so, too, was the way that Balogun pressed.

That grittiness from Balogun isn’t an attribute that comes up often in conversations about the AS Monaco striker. Typically, the discussion is more about his skill — which he showcased well with his powerful blast into the upper corner for his second goal. Two goals in a World Cup match doesn’t happen often for the U.S.; Balogun is the first American to have a multigoal game in this tournament since 1930. But on this team, in this style and with these teammates, the harder work may be just as important, as it helps open the field for everyone around him.

“His performance, I think he did what his job is, what he’s supposed to do,” McKennie said. “I think that’s what we expect of him. That’s what he expects of himself. He wants to score goals.

“But I think also you saw another side of Flo today. He’s getting stuck into tackles and putting his body on the line. And I feel like in the past a lot of people maybe have not made him out to be a player like that, but I think he just showed everyone today that he’s willing to do the dirty work as well.”

There are no guarantees about what comes next. Pulisic’s left calf, first and foremost, remains a question. He came off at halftime Friday night, and Mauricio Pochettino said that Pulisic was initially kicked there in training two days earlier. No one seems overly concerned about Pulisic being able to play against Australia in Seattle next Friday, but a player with his injury history coming out of a game early will always set off alarms.

Even more, U.S. fans have seen flashes from strikers in the past. There have been moments where it felt that maybe the goals issue could be solved only to have an attacking option fade away.

Balogun looks different. He feels different. And if he is, it could be the best thing that’s ever happened to the team. Not to mention its biggest star, Pulisic.