The United States launched their home World Cup campaign with a commanding 4-1 victory over Paraguay at SoFi Stadium — but the result was briefly overshadowed by an extraordinary sequence of events that saw the video assistant referee (VAR) make history.

With the co-hosts cruising at 3-0 in the Group D encounter, Dutch referee Danny Makkelie yellow-carded veteran defender Tim Ream, 38, for a challenge on Miguel Almiron. After the free-kick was taken and play briefly continued, Makkelie was called to the pitchside monitor by the VAR.

A first for the World Cup

What followed was unprecedented at this level: Makkelie overturned his own booking, rescinding Ream's caution and instead showing a yellow card to former Newcastle United forward Almiron, who had clearly dived to win the foul.

FIFA introduced the mistaken identity law specifically for this tournament at the request of head of referees Pierluigi Collina. It allows officials to correct a booking or red card if the punishment was applied to the wrong player — in this case, a player from the opposing team.

The intervention also raised eyebrows because the game had already restarted before Makkelie was directed to the screen, which under normal circumstances would have prevented any review. The mistaken identity provision made the correction possible even after the restart.

A separate new rule for the tournament allows second yellow cards — those that result in a red — to be reviewed, though first yellow cards remain outside VAR's usual scope outside of this specific provision.

"They let them take the free-kick, which was bizarre but clearly the right decision. It's the first time we have seen it but fair play," said former Everton and Wales defender Ashley Williams, speaking to BBC Sport.

"Any adaptation of the rules which means diving gets more punishment is good," added former England midfielder Danny Murphy, co-commentating for BBC Sport.

Balogun shines as USA cruise

On the pitch, the United States, managed by former Tottenham boss Mauricio Pochettino, were impressive from the first whistle. An own goal by Damian Bobadilla got them started before Folarin Balogun struck twice to send the co-hosts into the break leading 3-0. Balogun became only the second US player to score more than once in a single World Cup match.

Paraguay pulled a goal back through Brazilian-born Mauricio to make it 3-1, but substitute Giovanni Reyna had the final word — curling a stunning 20-yard effort home with the outside of his right foot in the game's closing seconds to seal a 4-1 win in front of a jubilant home crowd.