Saturday July 3, 2010 Quarter-final Finished Coca-Cola Park

Paraguay 0 - 1 Spain

  • Villa 83’

No comments yet | Write your comment

  1. Spain to face Germany after edging Paraguay

    Spain to face Germany after edging Paraguay

    Spain set up a mouth-watering World Cup semi-final against Germany with a 1-0 win over Paraguay at Ellis Park, Johannesburg. More

  • Live Commentary

    Time:90'
    • Paraguay
    • Spain
    • 90+4 That's it! That's the whistle! Spain are in the semis, where they face Germany, and Paraguay are heartbroken. So after all that talk of South American dominance, only Uruguay are left in the last four.
    • 90+3 Ramos is now sporting a bandage that, combined with his flowing locks, gives the hint of a fashionable bandana.
    • 90+2 The ball is flung into the box, Ramos heads it away and Santana kicks him in the face as he tried to volley. Ouch. Ramos is down. The ref fairly refuses to punish Santana - the boot wasn't so high, Ramos was stooping - but the Madrid defender needs help...
    • 90+1 Three-minutes added time being played.
    • 90' Pedro on the right, Spain have men over, inside to Villa who must make it two but for once the finish is weak and Villar clings on!
    • 89' GREAT SAVE CASILLAS! He makes up for a terrible spill from Santana's low shot by smothering Santa Cruz's follow-up!
    • 88' Fortunately Busquets is nothing more than shaken. Casillas still fumes at the ref.
    • 87' Santana with a clear elbow into the face of Busquets and somehow only sees yellow. I'm not a fan of reds for high arms but that was horrible, Casillas rightly angry.
    • 85' Fabregas and Iniesta almost break through and Villa can shoot but he blasts it high and wide.
    • 84' SPAIN SUB: Puyol comes off, limping a bit, Marchena replacing him.
    • 83' David Villa has now scored five in a row in this World Cup, joining Emilio Butragueno as Spain's all-time top scorer at a single finals. Also that makes it 43 international goals - one shy of Raul's record.
    • 82' GOAL SPAIN! VILLA! On the break they carve Paraguay apart, Iniesta dances through the middle, slipping Pedro through, his shot hit the post, the rebound dropped to Villa who was very lucky as his finish hit BOTH posts before trickling over the line.
    • 81' Spain get a bit slack while passing it around the back, Iniesta loses out and Caceres can slip Santa Cruz in but he overhits it for the not-too-quick Manchester City striker and Casillas gathers.
    • 80' Pedro skips down the left but his cross is poor and Paraguay bring it clear. Morel has it now but hoofs the ball down the left.
    • 79' Alcaraz heads Capdevila's cross away from Villa. Throw taken short, the cross is swung in by the Spain left-back again AND ALCARAZ MISSES IT but over Villa's head and away!
    • 78' Iniesta and Riveros clash heads. Ow. No blood though.
    • 77' Ramos lollops in down the right and drags it across the face of the box but Iniesta tries a flashy backheel that fails and Paraguay clear
    • 76' Cardozo almost gets in past the Spain defence but a last-ditch tackle from Capdevila saves the day!
    • 75' SPAIN SUB: Pedro on for Alonso.
    • 75' JUST WIDE FROM XAVI! Fabregas tried to play it through, his effort was blocked and Xavi popped up on the edge of the box and hammered it past the static Villar - and the post.
    • 74' Iniesta tries a ball out wide that hits Riveros and goes for a corner. Taken quickly, Iniesta ghosts in but his drilled ball across face of goal is blocked. Corner again. Xavi takes it again, putting the ball far post but Villar punches clear.
    • 73' Cardozo touches it on to Santa Cruz but his attempted shot is blocked. Spain counter and Villa is in but crowded out he falls over - no foul says the ref.
    • 72' PARAGUAY SUB: Santa Cruz on for the fading Valdez, who is knackered.
    • 71' Xavi takes the free-kick 30 odd yards out but overhits it out for a goal kick. Did Villar get a touch? I think so but he got away with it.
    • 70' Morel is booked for a foul on Cesc.
    • 68' Spain are regaining their composure and knocking it about fairly well now.
    • 66' Well that spell of play has put some life into this game. Let's see how both sets of players respond.
    • 65' Paraguay sub: Barreto off for Vera.
    • 64' Caceres was booked a while back, for protesting the penalty. Busquets it turns out was also booked, for his protests following the non-award of Spain's second penalty. I think.
    • 63' Alonso to Fabregas who slips it wide to Iniesta WHO CURLS IT TOP RIGHT BUT TIPPED AWAY BY VILLAR!
    • 62' Short corner for Spain is blocked and Paraguay break and Valdez races away but a super challenge from Busquets.
    • 62' Golly. The neutral is delighted. This game comes to life. I thought Villar took Cesc out, but there were bodies everywhere as the whole field raced into the box.
    • 61' Second chance for Alonso... BUT THE KEEPER SAVES IT! And Fabregas flies in and surely he takes him out but no penalty! Hacked behind for a corner! Brilliant save!
    • 61' Xabi Alonso to take the penalty... And he rifles it into the left of goal BUT NOOOO! He has to take it again! They're celebrating but there was an encroachment from the Spanish. Good call.
    • 60' How is THAT not a red card? He was clean through. Spain are asking the question. What a game football is...
    • 59' Penalty Spain! Straight from the punt Villa raced through and Alcaraz tripped him! Madness!
    • 59' SAVED BY CASILLAS! Cardozo blasted it to the right but Casillas guessed right and it was a decent height for him.
    • 58' Cardozo to take, the big Benfica striker with a long run-up...
    • 57' Ramos heads behind for Paraguay's first corner of the game. Morel swings it in... and there are bodies everywhere and the ref points to the spot! Penalty! Pique was practically holding Cardozo's hand and he's lucky to see only yellow!
    • 56' SPAIN SUB: As expected Torres comes off. Poor AGAIN. But who's this? Fabregas? Seems that Del Bosque figures putting Villa more central is the key.
    • 55' Ramos on the right with a horrible cross miles high and wide for a throw on the left.
    • 54' Alonso to take then, 33 yards out, centre-left... Poor. Straight into Morel and two Spain players are offside.
    • 53' Veron clumsy into the back of Iniesta, can Spain work something from a set piece?
    • 52' Xavi on the ball but he takes aaaages to release the pass and is robbed. Riveros loses possession though. Getting scrappy though.
    • 51' Morel gets caught in possession, leaving Alcaraz in a right pickle and Villa could be in but a heavy touch sends him too far wide and he fails to keep a cross-shot in!
    • 50' Torres almost gets through again but they swarm around him to clear.
    • 49' Good stuff from Spain as Busquets almost plays Torres in but the pass is intercepted.
    • 47' Spain controlling the play early in this second half as they try to impose themselves on this game.
    • 46' No changes at half-time and the second period is underway!
    • - MATCH PHOTO: Can Del Bosque change things? 'Sad face', as Guti once called him, barks instructions from the Spain bench.
    • - MATCH PHOTO: This says it all. David Villa crowded out by three Paraguay defenders.
    • - MATCH PHOTO: Paraguay's Justo Villar in a rare moment of first-half action.
    • - Europe (9) and South America (9) are tied in overall World Cup triumphs. So one continent will take the lead.
    • - Paraguay made it here by winning their first ever WC shootout. They converted all of their five penalty kicks, which makes them join Belgium (5-for-5) and Korea Republic (5-for-5) as nations to have been involved in WC penalty shootouts without missing once. What odds on a second?
    • - Spain have won 30 of their last 32 matches. They have lost only two of their last 52 internationals – 2-0 v USA (2009 Confederations Cup) and 1-0 v Switzerland (2010 World Cup). Both defeats came on South African soil.
    • 45+2 Goalless at the break and Paraguay have looked far the more likely! Would the real Furia Roja please stand up!
    • 45+1 Spain's defence generously opens up for Valdez and he bustles in but panics and shoots to early, spooning it high and wide!
    • 45' One minute of added time to be played...
    • 44' Lovely passing by Spain but Ramos's cross is poor. Valdez wins a free-kick.
    • 43' Alonso races forward, Spain have men over and he slips it wide to Villa who, for some reason, steps over it with no-one to his left! Oops.
    • 42' Torres races down the right and he could be through but the whistle goes - he handled while controlling the long ball.
    • 41' Long ball aimed for Cardozo who misses it AND VALDEZ ON THE LOOSE BALL WITH THE CHESTED TOUCH AND HE DRILLS IT HOME! But the flag is up! Offside! Cardozo was off but Valdez wasn't - Cardozo was adjuged to be interfering as he moved towards the ball.
    • 40' Spain have a free-kick on the right but wasted, dreadful. Almost goes out for a throw on th left. Morel is caught in possession by Iniesta, now Torres has it, taking on the defenders but slipping as he crosses to spoon it out for a goal kick.
    • 39' Xavi jogs over to take... deep for Pique but Alcaraz clears.
    • 38' Paraguay come forward again but Spain win it back. Iniesta turns and finds Xavi, wide to Ramos but his cross is headed behind by Alcaraz for a corner.
    • 37' Not a great omen for Spain - no country that lost any of their first three (group) matches has won the World Cup since Argentina in 1978.
    • 36' Villa shifts it on to his right but sends a shot well wide.
    • 35' Valdez races forward and pings it wide left to Morel, they have men over and he digs out a super cross far post FOR SANTANA FLYING IN BUT IT JUST MISSES HIS HEAD AND GOES WIDE!
    • 34' Villa moves central and puts it wide right for Iniesta, super low cross but a yard ahead of Torres's run and the defenders leave it to run out for a throw. Torres should have been brave and attacked that.
    • 33' Iniesta and Xavi over it but it looks like Capdevila will take... Knocked back to him and he shoots but deflected but easy for keeper Villar.
    • 32' Villa is fouled by Barreto then almost loses his temper. Calm down lad. Taken quickly, Iniesta is fouled on the right by Morel. Free-kick seven yards from the D....
    • 31' They're doubling up on Villa now but Spain retain possession and move it right... Iniesta crosses but Morel blocks and Paraguay break. Puyol gets goal side of Valdez but Ramos can't keep it in. Throw on the left...
    • 30' Ramos bundled off the ball unnecessarily by Alcaraz with the Madrid man going nowhere. Free-kick which Xavi will curl in... Straight into the first man, poor.
    • 29' Taken quickly, Capdevila has it, he knocks it in for Xavi, it bounces awkwardly but he flicks it up and fires in a super volley that dips over the keeper but lands on the roof of the net! Great effort!
    • 28' Da Silva handles in midfield after misjudging a high ball, Spain take it quickly but Villa can't make anything of it. Riveros gives away the ball though and then a free-kick.
    • 27' Xavi whips in the corner, Ramos attacks but cleared. Pique has it now, Torres on the right, he skips past one man, then cuts back and they close him out to clear! Should have played it back earlier.
    • 26' Xavi wide to Villa, loads of space here as he skins Veron, hits the byline and drills a low ball across but hacked away for a corner.
    • 26' Valdez gets around Puyol who seems to foul him but the ref gives a goal kick.
    • 25' Xavi with a clever ball to release Torres but it's too far ahead of him and Paraguay can clear through Morel.
    • 25' Busquets can force his way through but knocks it back to Iniesta, selling his Barca team-mate short and leading him to foul Riveros.
    • 24' Spain have had 58% possession so far. Pique slips but Spain are lucky and can break through Capdevila. His cross is headed away by Da Silva though.
    • 23' Paraguay have not scored in their last two World Cup matches. Twice before they were blanked in three consecutive WC matches. This could well be an extra-time job, given how organised they are though...
    • 22' This time Alonso gets it right with a super crossfield pass but, bizarrely, Iniesta lets him down with a poor first touch.
    • 21' Free-kick to Paraguay on the right, flung in by Morel AND ALCARAZ FLIES IN UNMARKED BUT JUST OVER HIS HEAD AND WIDE! Oooh, a touch and Spain were in trouble!
    • 20' AGAIN Alonso with a poor pass, asking way too much of Villa when the break was on.
    • 19' Brilliant turn from Iniesta away from two defenders but Alcaraz takes him down. Quick free-kick but totally wasted by Xavi.
    • 18' Loose, poor ball from Alonso but Santana fouls Ramos for a bit of revenge. Alonso's passing has been a bit off-radar so far tonight.
    • 17' Ramos loops over an ambitious cross and Torres flies in but Villar punches clear! It drops for Alonso but he gets his attempted lofted ball in horribly wrong.
    • 16' Iniesta on the right cuts inside and spreads it wide to Capdevila. Villa now uses the flank to work a cross but Da Silva blocks and Paraguay clear. The LatAms working hard to frustrate Spain...
    • 15' Santana has a nosebleed and he reckons Ramos flung an elbow out. Free-kick sent long by Morel.
    • 14' Ramos goes into the back of Santana and Paraguay have a free-kick on their left...
    • 13' Veron crunches into Villa, and the ref says fair challenge. Villa is hugging the left side, probably explaining why Veron - who is an old-school stopper - is playing right-back.
    • 12' Valdez with a super turn to leave Ramos for dead but Pique slides in and somehow keeps the ball in play too, rising with it in one movement to bring it clear. They call him Piquenbauer, and it's easy to see why.
    • 11' Morel to take this free-kick, 35 yards out but he smacks it well over. Wasteful. Put it in the mixer man!
    • 10' Valdez flicks to Riveros and is taken down by Pique, with the block preventing the one-two and earning a free-kick.
    • 10' Ramos bounds forward like a thoroughbred racehorse but he overruns it and commits a foul.
    • 9' Valdez almost gets in behind the Spain defence but Pique reads it and gets goalside of him to clear.
    • 8' Casillas takes too long to make a clearance from the backpass and Valdez slides in to block it but luckily for Spain it flies wide!
    • 7' Busquets finds Xavi, who gets away from Caceres, now Alonso tries a bit of a Hollywood ball but it strikes Caceres and is out for a corner. Taken short, Alonso with the cross AND RAMOS ON THE EDGE OF THE SIX-YARD BOX BUT HE FLICKS IT WIDE! The wrong side of the far post, Spain's first chance and oddly from a high ball.
    • 6' Nice pass and move from Spain but Paraguay are working hard to close them down, forcing the ball all the way back to Casillas.
    • 5' Alonso slides it inside to Torres, who goes down in a Paraguay sandwich but play on says the ref.
    • 4' Xavi Alonso gives it away but Puyol flies in to get there before Riveros and hoof to touch. Lovely touch by Iniesta to spin it away from four players but Xavi makes an error and Paraguay have it back.
    • 3' Torres has support on either side but tries to clip a straight-ish ball through the middle and Veron clears.
    • 2' Spain regain possession after that early scare as they initiate their short-passing game...
    • 1' Cardozo with a flick sets Santana in and he drives low from the edge of the box but straight at Casillas! Should have done better, it opened up for him!
    • 1' The final last-eight clash of this World Cup is underway!
    • 19:30 The players have just sung the anthems and are all set to kick off. Spain are in their navy second kit as Paraguay play in their rojiblanco shirts. The South Americans will kick off...
    • 19:25 David Villa has scored 42 international goals for Spain. That tally is just two shy of Raul's 44, Spain's all-time record.
    • 19:20 David Villa has scored in each of Spain's last three World Cup matches, equalling the Spanish record that was set by Telmo Zarra in 1950 and was later equalled by Fernando Hierro (1998-2002); The last player to score in at least four successive World Cup matches was Brazil’s Rivaldo. He scored in five in 2002. The record is six and is shared by France's Just Fontaine (1958) and Brazil’s Jairzinho (1970).
    • 19:15 Tonight's referee is a Spanish speaker, mercifully - Carlos Batres of Guatemala.
    • 19:10 David Villa has scored four goals so far at these finals and is just one shy of the highest total of goals in a single World Cup by a Spaniard, the five by Emilio Butragueno in 1986. No Spanish player has ever won (even a share of) the Golden Boot at the World Cup.
    • 19:05 Paraguay have not scored in their last two World Cup matches. Twice before they were blanked in three consecutive WC matches.
    • 19:00 SUSPENSION WATCH: Paraguay will lose Enrique Vera, Cristian Riveros and Roque Santa Cruz for the next game if booked; Spain have Xabi Alonso sitting on a yellow card after he became the first Spanish player of the finals to be booked, during the 1-0 win over Portugal in the second round.
    • 18:55 Spain have now reached the quarter-finals in four (1986, 1994, 2002 and 2010) World Cups alternating quarter-final appearances with exits at an earlier stage ever since they hosted the 1982 World Cup. They've only made the semis once though, in 1950, and that was a group stage back then so technically they've never had a knockout last-four match.
    • 18:50 Paraguay have reached the World Cup quarter-finals for the first time in history. They are the 12th of the 13 nations that appeared in the inaugural World Cup in 1930 to reach the quarterfinals for the first time. Bolivia are now the only of the 'founding nations' to have never reached the last eight. It has taken Paraguay 80 years to clinch their first quarter-final berth.
    • 18:45 Spain are unbeaten in their last five World Cup matches against CONMEBOL nations (three wins, two draws), dating back to a 1986 group defeat against Brazil (1-0). The Spanish unbeaten streak includes the 2-1 win against Chile at the 2010 World Cup; In the last 50 years, Paraguay have played 12 World Cup matches against European nations, winning twice, drawing four times and losing six times. Their only victories in that span have come against Slovenia (3-1 in 2002) and Slovakia (2-0 in 2010).
    • 18:40 Spain and Paraguay have met twice before at the World Cup. Spain have won once and drawn once against Paraguay. Their first World Cup meeting came in 1998, which finished 0-0, and ended up in Spain going out after they lost to Nigeria. The second came in 2002 and Spain got it right this time, winning 3-1. Fernando Morientes (2) and Fernando Hierro scored for Spain. A Carles Puyol own goal (10’) had put the Paraguayans in front in that match.
    • 18:35 No surprises Spain although Fernando Torres starts for Spain despite a relatively poor tournament so far; Paraguay make six changes from the team that needed penalties to beat Japan. Nelson Valdez and Oscar Cardozo play up front in place of Roque Santa Cruz and Lucas Barrios, with midfielders Edgar Barreto, Victor Caceres and Jonathan Santana also in the side. Dario Veron comes into defence for Carlos Bonet.
    • 18:35 Teams - Paraguay: 1-Justo Villar; 2-Dario Veron, 14-Paulo Da Silva, 21-Antolin Alcaraz, 3-Claudio Morel, 8-Edgar Barreto, 11-Jonathan Santana, 15-Victor Caceres, 16-Cristian Riveros, 18-Nelson Valdez, 7-Oscar Cardozo /// Spain: 1-Iker Casillas; 15-Sergio Ramos, 3-Gerard Pique, 5-Carles Puyol, 11-Joan Capdevila; 14-Xabi Alonso, 8-Xavi, 6-Andres Iniesta, 16-Sergio Busquets; 9-Fernando Torres, 7-David Villa.
    • 18:30 European champions Spain meet South Americans Paraguay in the last quarter-final at Ellis Park, for a place in the semis against the rampant Germans.
  • Summary

    • 90' Pedro on the right, Spain have men over, inside to Villa who must make it two but for once the finish is weak and Villar clings on!
    • 89' GREAT SAVE CASILLAS! He makes up for a terrible spill from Santana's low shot by smothering Santa Cruz's follow-up!
    • 82' GOAL SPAIN! VILLA! On the break they carve Paraguay apart, Iniesta dances through the middle, slipping Pedro through, his shot hit the post, the rebound dropped to Villa who was very lucky as his finish hit BOTH posts before trickling over the line.
    • 79' Alcaraz heads Capdevila's cross away from Villa. Throw taken short, the cross is swung in by the Spain left-back again AND ALCARAZ MISSES IT but over Villa's head and away!
    • 75' JUST WIDE FROM XAVI! Fabregas tried to play it through, his effort was blocked and Xavi popped up on the edge of the box and hammered it past the static Villar - and the post.
    • 63' Alonso to Fabregas who slips it wide to Iniesta WHO CURLS IT TOP RIGHT BUT TIPPED AWAY BY VILLAR!
    • 61' Second chance for Alonso... BUT THE KEEPER SAVES IT! And Fabregas flies in and surely he takes him out but no penalty! Hacked behind for a corner! Brilliant save!
    • 61' Xabi Alonso to take the penalty... And he rifles it into the left of goal BUT NOOOO! He has to take it again! They're celebrating but there was an encroachment from the Spanish. Good call.
    • 59' SAVED BY CASILLAS! Cardozo blasted it to the right but Casillas guessed right and it was a decent height for him.
    • 51' Morel gets caught in possession, leaving Alcaraz in a right pickle and Villa could be in but a heavy touch sends him too far wide and he fails to keep a cross-shot in!
    • 45+1 Spain's defence generously opens up for Valdez and he bustles in but panics and shoots to early, spooning it high and wide!
    • 41' Long ball aimed for Cardozo who misses it AND VALDEZ ON THE LOOSE BALL WITH THE CHESTED TOUCH AND HE DRILLS IT HOME! But the flag is up! Offside! Cardozo was off but Valdez wasn't - Cardozo was adjuged to be interfering as he moved towards the ball.
    • 35' Valdez races forward and pings it wide left to Morel, they have men over and he digs out a super cross far post FOR SANTANA FLYING IN BUT IT JUST MISSES HIS HEAD AND GOES WIDE!
    • 29' Taken quickly, Capdevila has it, he knocks it in for Xavi, it bounces awkwardly but he flicks it up and fires in a super volley that dips over the keeper but lands on the roof of the net! Great effort!
    • 8' Casillas takes too long to make a clearance from the backpass and Valdez slides in to block it but luckily for Spain it flies wide!
    • 7' Busquets finds Xavi, who gets away from Caceres, now Alonso tries a bit of a Hollywood ball but it strikes Caceres and is out for a corner. Taken short, Alonso with the cross AND RAMOS ON THE EDGE OF THE SIX-YARD BOX BUT HE FLICKS IT WIDE! The wrong side of the far post, Spain's first chance and oddly from a high ball.
    • 1' Cardozo with a flick sets Santana in and he drives low from the edge of the box but straight at Casillas! Should have done better, it opened up for him!
    • 18:35 Teams - Paraguay: 1-Justo Villar; 2-Dario Veron, 14-Paulo Da Silva, 21-Antolin Alcaraz, 3-Claudio Morel, 8-Edgar Barreto, 11-Jonathan Santana, 15-Victor Caceres, 16-Cristian Riveros, 18-Nelson Valdez, 7-Oscar Cardozo /// Spain: 1-Iker Casillas; 15-Sergio Ramos, 3-Gerard Pique, 5-Carles Puyol, 11-Joan Capdevila; 14-Xabi Alonso, 8-Xavi, 6-Andres Iniesta, 16-Sergio Busquets; 9-Fernando Torres, 7-David Villa.

Team Line-up & Ratings

  • Paraguay

    Manager: Gerardo Martino

  • Spain

    Manager: Vicente del Bosque

  • Line-up

  • Rate Players

    Rate Players

    Please to rate the players.

    Not already a Yahoo! user ? to get a free Yahoo! Account.

    • Player Y! Users Expert My Rating
      Goalkeeper
      - -
      Defenders
      - -
      - -
      Yellow Card - -
      Yellow Card - -
      Midfielders
      Yellow Card Substitution Out84′ - -
      - -
      Substitution Out64′ - -
      Yellow Card - -
      Strikers
      - -
      Substitution Out73′ - -
      Subs
      Substitution In73′ - -
      Substitution In64′ - -
      Substitution In84′ - -
    • Player Y! Users Expert My Rating
      Goalkeeper
      10 -
      Defenders
      - -
      Yellow Card - -
      Substitution Out84′ - -
      - -
      Midfielders
      Yellow Card - -
      Substitution Out75′ - -
      - -
      - -
      Goal - -
      Strikers
      Substitution Out56′ - -
      Subs
      Substitution In84′ - -
      Substitution In56′ - -
      Substitution In75′ - -

Not already a Yahoo! user ? to get a free Yahoo! Account