World Cup day two highlights - USA turn on the style while Canada make history

Christian Pulisic and Folarin Balogun celebrate a goal at the World Cup in a 4-1 win for USMNT vs Paraguay
Folarin Balogun was the star for USA vs Paraguay in the World Cup 2026 clash (Image credit: Getty Images)

Day two of the World Cup delivered plenty of goals and a slice of history for host nation Canada.

After a shocking amount of red cards on day one in the Mexico vs South Africa game, it was the turn of fellow co-hosts United States and Canada to kick off their campaigns.

Here's a rundown of the key moments from day two of the 2026 World Cup.

Canada earn their first ever World Cup point

The first game on Friday saw Canada begin their hosting duties, with an opening ceremony including performances from Michael Buble.

However, on the pitch, the home nation failed to hit the high notes in the first half, with Bosnia and Herzergovina looking the far stronger side.

A goal from Jovo Lukic after 21 minutes was enough to give the Balkans a half-time lead, but whatever Jesse Marsch said to his Canadian players at the break, it clearly worked.

Canada came out fighting after the interval, and after pushing for a breakthrough time and time again, they finally drew level thanks to a goal from Cyle Larin in the 78th minute.

From there, it seemed the Canucks would go on to grab a winner. They ended the game with 60% of the possession, 13 shots to Bosnia's eight, and on the right side of the xG statistics.

To their credit, Bosnia and Herzegovina fought hard and defended bravely to keep the scores level and take a point.

For Canada, that is their first ever point earned at a World Cup, and while they will have hoped for all three, it's still an historic moment for the Maple Leafs.

USA look like a force to be reckoned with under Mauricio Pochettino

Gio Reyna

Gio Reyna (Image credit: Getty Images)

It's safe to say that, going into the 2026 World Cup, no one expected much of co-host nation USA.

Mauricio Pochettino's side went out into that opening game against Paraguay determined to prove everyone wrong, clearly.

A 4-1 win over the South American nation looks good on paper, and it's truly a dream start for USMNT. But, it's the manner of the performance that really caught the eye of neutrals around the world.

USA operated with intensity, played a quick, slick passing game, overloaded Paraguay to perfection, and most importantly, they looked confident, too.

It's early days, but Pochettino's USA team could be one to watch this tournament, especially in front of a home crowd.

Folarin Balogun leads Golden Boot race

Folarin Balogun

Folarin Balogun (Image credit: Getty Images)

At the heart of that huge win for USA was striker Folarin Balogun, who bagged a brace during the game to make his mark.

We may only be three days into the tournament, but historically, Golden Boot winners score between six to eight goals, so Balogun is well on his way.

Whether the USA make it far enough into the tournament for him to compete for that prize is another matter, of course.

However, with confidence flowing, Balogun will fancy himself to score again when USA face Australia and Turkey later in the group stages.

Many had expected Christian Pulisic to be the star man for the United States, but he was withdrawn at half-time due to an injury scare. Discussing the issue, Pochettino said: "We didn't want to take any risks. It was difficult for him to walk but hope that it is not a big issue and he can be ready for the next one."

Thomas Partey refused entry ahead of Ghana's first game

Thomas Partey

Thomas Partey (Image credit: Getty Images)

Ghana may not play their first World Cup game until Thursday, June 18, but they've already been handed a huge blow ahead of the clash with Panama.

Former Arsenal midfielder Thomas Partey has been banned from entering Canada due to having his visa application refused.

That's due to criminal charges will hang over the Villarreal player, who has pleaded not guilty to seven charges of rape and one count of sexual assault.

The Ghanaian Ministry of Foreign Affairs has issued an official note of protest to Global Affairs Canada, but it remains to be seen whether the ban will be overturned at all, never mind in time for that opening game.

Jakob Barnes
Freelance Writer

Jakob has over 11 years of experience in journalism across sports, entertainment, tech, and politics. Now a freelance news writer for FourFourTwo, he covers the biggest stories from the world of football.

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