USMNT strikes early and scores just 7 minutes into its World Cup opener vs. Paraguay

It took the United States less than 10 minutes to get its first goal of the World Cup. And it wasn't even scored by a U.S. player.

Paraguay's Damián Bobadilla was credited with a seventh-minute own goal to give the U.S. an early 1-0 lead on Friday in Los Angeles. It was the third-earliest goal for the USMNT in World Cup history. And it came after a pretty linkup between Weston McKennie and Christian Pulisic.

It wasn't a fluke goal for the United States, either. The USMNT started the game on the front foot, as it had moved wingback Sergiño Dest up into more of an attacking role with Alex Freeman as the team's right back in a back line of four.

The USMNT hasn't lost its last three World Cup openers, but it's only won one of those games. The victory came in 2014 against Ghana in a 2-1 win. The other two games — against England in 2010 and Wales in 2022 — were 1-1 ties. The early goal is a big step toward extending that streak to four straight and adding a second win.

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