New Analysis 

Just a few weeks ago, many U.S. Men's National Team fans were questioning whether this squad was ready for the pressure of an at-home World Cup.

Friday night's victory over Paraguay won't answer that questions but it may have changed the conversation.

The USMNT opened Group D with a resounding 4-1 victory over Paraguay, producing the highest-scoring World Cup performance in program history, and delivering the type of results fans had been waiting months to see. 

For a team that spent much of the past year facing criticism over injuries, roster decisions and inconsistent performances, the result felt like a weight off their shoulders.

Days before the match, midfielder Gio Reyna spoke about the growth of a team that reached the Round of 16 in Qatar four years ago.

"We're four years older, four years more experienced and we just believe we can do something great together," Reyna said.

Against Paraguay, that showed.

The U.S. reached a 3-0 lead by halftime and rarely looked uncomfortable when many expected it to be one of the toughest tests getting out of the group stage.

But the biggest surprise was the performance of striker Folarin Balogun.

Balogun scored twice in the first half, becoming the first American player since Bert Patenaude in 1930 to score multiple goals in a World Cup match.

For years, the United States searched for a reliable No. 9 capable of big time goals when it matters the most. Against Paraguay, Balogun was the answer to that prayer.

The victory also showed the vision head coach Mauricio Pochettino has been trying to show since taking over the national team.

"It starts with the energy and focus and intensity and then we believe our talent can win a lot of games for us," Reyna said.

Defender Chris Richards said the team's confidence comes from within rather than outside expectations.

"The pressure is what we have inside the group," Richards said.

Richards also believes performances like Friday's are important in changing how the United States is viewed internationally.

"Whenever we go and play everywhere else in the world it feels like we have to play twice as hard to get the respect," Richards said.

The Americans definitely earned plenty of respect following the match. Online chatter skyrocketed after the victory, with observers carrying on as if they had witnessed a unicorn.

Now whether this win transforms into a World Cup run on home soil remains to be seen. But after four goals against one of South America's heaviest hitters, the faith around the U.S. Men's National Team is growing both inside and outside the locker room.

Next Friday the Americans face Australia in Seattle, Wash.