Excellent start: Dest and Pepi at the World Cup
1 min readThe United States with PSV players Sergino Dest and Ricardo Pepi has started excellently at the 2026 World Cup on home soil. Team USA won in Los Angeles 4-1 against Paraguay in Group D.
From the kickoff, Dest was positioned as right winger and in the first half had a number of good actions that created a lot of danger. Ricardo Pepi started the match on the bench in favor of teammate striker Folarin Balogun, and former PSV player Malik Tillman also appeared from the start in the starting lineup.
Within seven minutes, the Americans scored. Through Christian Pulisic, the ball ended up with Winston McKennie after a flowing attack, and this ultimately resulted in an own goal by Damian Bobadilla.
A few minutes after the first drink break, Team USA seemed set to go 2-0 thanks to Folarin Balogun, but that goal was rightly ruled out for offside. In the 31st minute, though, it was Balogun who found the net again after yet another flowing American attack that was finished by the forward.
In stoppage time of the first half, the team of head coach Mauricio Pochettino even went 3-0 up. Once again, Balogun managed to score the third goal, and it was a jewel of a strike.
After halftime, chances were scarce on both sides and in minute 72 one PSV player was substituted and the other PSV player came on. Pepi replaced Balogun while Dest was taken over by Tim Weah.
One minute after the substitution, Paraguay came back into the match via a goal by Mauricio, but despite that, the victory for Team USA was no longer in danger. Substitute Giovanni Reyna, who replaced Malik Tillman in the 82nd minute, determined the final score at 4-1, and in this way the national team of the United States scored four goals in a World Cup match for the first time.
Comments8
"Pepi verving Balogun" is exactly what i wanted to see, fresh striker energy after they controlled the game. Tim Weah replacing Dest makes sense too, just hope Dest stays fit for PSV midweek!
The offside call for 2-0 is the kind of margin that makes tournaments brutal. If Pepi had scored after coming on it would be even better for confidence, but getting the win and four goals is huge
"Pepi verving Balogun" en meteen controle houden, prima wissel van Pochettino. En ja... Tillman op de basis en erna eruit, maar Reyna die de 4-1 bepaalt, dat is gewoon wél clutch. 🔥
4-1 vs Paraguay is a statement. But ngl Dest getting subbed for Weah at 72 also feels like USA are still figuring out that balance in possession and defensive cover ⚽
Pepi starting on the bench and then coming on for Balogun, i like it because it shows he can be a plan B without losing shape. Still, wouldve loved him to get minutes earlier tbh
Dest right wing looked sharp from kick-off, some real danger early. Also Balogun scoring twice and that 3rd goal was peak transition stuff 🔥
Dest weer vanaf rechtsbuiten, maar ik wil toch meer directe dreiging zien. Pepi kwam pas na de rust, dus ik hoop dat hij snel meer minuten maakt, want dit soort WK-momenten moet je benutten.
4-1 en dan ook nog Balogun die twee keer raak schiet. Tbh die derde goal was echt peak aanvallend voetbal van USA, knap hoe ze steeds doorzetten na een snelle aanval.