Giovanni Reyna scored on his return to the starting lineup and Folarin Balogun added a second goal late on as the United States continued to ramp up its preparations for next year’s World Cup with a 2-1 win over Paraguay in Chester, Pennsylvania, on Saturday.
Hobbled by injury and a lack of playing time at club level, Reyna was named in the starting lineup for the first time since July 1, 2024, against Uruguay in the Copa América. Playing two days after his 23rd birthday, Reyna scored in the fourth minute of his first start for club or country since Sept. 14 and just his second since March 1.
Alex Arce took advantage of a defensive lapse to equalize in the 10th minute.
Diego Luna forced a turnover four minutes after entering, leading to the go-ahead goal. Juan Cáceres tried to regain possession and knocked the ball away to Balogun, who dished to Reyna. The midfielder took a touch and centered the ball, which deflected off Damián Bobadilla, and Balogun scored from from seven yards for his eighth U.S. goal, his third in fourth matches.
Max Arfsten got his team-high fifth assist of 2025 as the U.S. extended its unbeaten streak to four.
Tempers flared in the closing minutes as American defender Alex Freeman and Paraguay captain Diego Gómez both tried to pick up a ball that rolled out during second-half stoppage time, and they started scrapping as both benches joined in. Paraguay’s Omar Alderete, who was not in the game, was given a red card and American midfielder Cristian Roldan a yellow card.
Time is dwindling for U.S. players to make impressions on coach Mauricio Pochettino, After the 16th-ranked Americans play No, 15 Uruguay on Tuesday, the U.S. will have two more friendlies in March before Pochettino announces his World Cup roster.
Reyna scored after Sergiño Dest and Roldan had shots blocked following Arfsten’s corner kick, Arfsten crossed to Reyna, whose header from 8 yards glanced off the outstretched left fingertips of goalkeeper Orlando Gill and in off the crossbar. Reyna had never before scored a professional headed goal.
Reyna has nine goals in 33 international appearances. His father, Claudio, the U.S. captain at the 2002 and 2006 World Cups, had eight in 112 games from 1994 to 2006.
No. 39 Paraguay, headed to its first World Cup since 2010, equalized when Júnior Alonso played a long ball behind Sergiño Dest to Miguel Almirón, who hit a first-time cross. Arce got away from Miles Robinson and headed the ball off a hop, beating Matt Freese with an open header for his first international goal.
Pochettino was missing Christian Pulisic, Tyler Adams, Weston McKennie, Tim Weah, Chris Richards and Antonee Robinson.
Joe Scally started with Robinson and Tim Ream in the three center-back formation the U.S. switched to in September, flanked by Dest as a right wingback and Arfsten on the left. Roldan and Tanner Tessmann were in midfield with Reyna and Brenden Aaronson advanced midfield and Balogun heading the attack.
Freese and Aaronson are both products of the Philadelphia Union and were playing in the stadium of their hometown team.
Information with The Associated Press was used in this report.
