Christian Pulisic, we owe you a massive apology. Actually, a full grovel. On a night when the USA finally decided to show up to a major tournament with intent, they tore Paraguay apart in Los Angeles like a toddler unwrapping Christmas presents. 4-0. Could have been seven. And it wasn’t even flattering.
The decisive moment came in the 23rd minute. Pulisic, receiving the ball 30 yards out, took one touch to set himself, then curled a left-footed shot into the top corner that made the Paraguay goalkeeper look like he was trying to save a paper plane. The stadium erupted. The US bench erupted. Even the guy selling hot dogs in row 34 dropped his tray and applauded.
This was not the same USA that stumbled through qualifying, the one that looked allergic to goalscoring chances. This was a team playing with the handbrake off. Tyler Adams bossed midfield like he owned the place, and Gio Reyna created chances with the casual arrogance of a teenager who knows he’s the best player on the pitch. But the story is Pulisic. The man who spent the last six months being called a bust, a flop, a Chelsea cast-off. Tonight, he silenced every single critic. For at least one game.
Canada’s Great Escape
Over in Manchester, New Hampshire, Canada did something they have never done before: they earned a point at a World Cup. It took 38 years, a manager’s triple substitution, and a whole lot of luck, but they got there in the end.
Trailing 1-0 to a Bosnia and Herzegovina side that looked organised and dangerous, Jesse Marsch did something that most managers only attempt on Football Manager: he threw on three subs at once in the 65th minute. Stephen Eustaquio, Cyle Larin, and Tajon Buchanan entered the fray. Within ten minutes, Canada equalised. A cross from Buchanan found Larin at the back post, and the striker’s header was so precise it felt like it had been drawn up on a tactics board.
But here is where the story gets properly ridiculous. Canada should have won it. Twice. In the 78th minute, Buchanan forced a save from the Bosnian keeper that was a mixture of brilliance and panic. Then, in the 89th, a goal-line clearance from a Bosnian defender that was so desperate it looked like he was saving his own child from a burning building. Marsch, on the touchline, went through every emotion in about 30 seconds: joy, rage, acceptance, and finally, a sort of resigned pride.
The irony here is thick enough to spread on toast. Canada, the team that spent decades being the punchline of North American football, have now earned their first World Cup point. Bosnia, the debutants, will feel like they lost two points rather than gained one. Football is cruel. It is also, occasionally, beautiful.
What Comes Next: The Haiti-Scotland Preview
Saturday brings us Haiti vs Scotland, which is a match that could derail either side’s tournament before it properly begins. Haiti, roared on by a diaspora that fills stadiums wherever they play, will be desperate to prove they belong. Scotland, with a squad that has genuine Premier League quality, will be equally desperate to avoid the kind of embarrassing result that haunts a nation for decades.
The key battle? Haiti’s pace on the counter against Scotland’s ability to control possession. If Scotland play with the same patience they showed in qualifying, they should win. But if they get nervous, if they overthink it, Haiti will punish them. This is the kind of game where one moment of madness—a misplaced pass, a reckless tackle—decides everything.
Also worth noting: the developing domestic bliss between Max and Barry. Apparently, the two have been sharing a room and have discovered a mutual love for terrible 80s action films. If this translates into on-pitch chemistry, the rest of the group should be worried. If it doesn’t, at least they’ll have good stories for the press conference.
Now, we answer your questions. Yes, the USA-Paraguay result was as one-sided as it looked. No, we still don’t know if this USA team can handle pressure. And yes, Canada’s first point is a legitimate milestone, even if they nearly threw it away twice in the final ten minutes.
World Cup football is a relentless machine. It gives you moments of pure joy, then immediately asks what you’re going to do next. For the USA, the question is whether they can repeat this level of performance against a better opponent. For Canada, it is whether they can build on this point or whether it will be the highlight of their tournament.
But for one night, at least, two North American teams gave their fans something to believe in. And in a sport where belief is the most fragile currency, that is worth everything.