USA Beat Paraguay 2–1 in Intense Friendly, but a Wild Sideline Brawl Steals the Spotlight | VIDEO

The United States came away with a 2–1 victory over Paraguay in a high-profile international friendly, a match that for 90 minutes had offered promising signs for the USMNT’s buildup toward the World Cup. Reyna, Balogun and the American midfield dictated large stretches of play with intensity, control and composure.

The breakthrough arrived just four minutes in, when Gio Reyna rose above the defense to head in the opening goal. Paraguay struck back quickly through Álex Arce, but the U.S. maintained momentum, pressing high and circulating the ball cleanly between the lines.

In the second half, the U.S. regained control and eventually found the winner thanks to Folarin Balogun, who capitalized on a well-constructed attacking sequence at the 71st minute.

When the match seemed destined to close out quietly, everything changed. In stoppage time, a contested throw-in near the benches triggered a heated exchange. What started as a dispute over possession escalated in seconds into a bench-clearing brawl involving players, substitutes and members of both technical staffs. Shoves, shouting and confusion created a chaotic scene, with U.S. coach Mauricio Pochettino even knocked to the ground while attempting to intervene.

Once order was restored, the referee issued a red card to Paraguay’s Omar Alderete and a yellow to Cristian Roldanof the U.S.

Despite the fiery ending, the U.S. can still take away a set of encouraging signs: energy, structure, and personality throughout the match. Paraguay, meanwhile, will reflect on both its positive stretches of play and the complete loss of composure in the final seconds.