Paraguay 0 Japan 0 - Paraguay win penalty shootout to reach quarter-finals
Oscar Cardozo(credit:
Wikipedia)
Paraguay edged Japan 5-4 on penalties to set up a World Cup quarter-final clash with either Spain.
The two teams, surprise participants in the knockout stage, produced possibly the dullest match of the tournament so far with 120 goalless minutes before Yuichi Komano missed the decisive penalty to end Japan’s dream.
An action-filled game had looked to be on the cards when Yoshito Okubo pounced on some sloppy passing by the Paraguayans and fired wide after just 18 seconds.
Komano then tested Justo Villar, while Paraguay’s first chance of note saw Claudio Morel Rodriguez hit his free-kick straight into the arms of Eiji Kawashima.
Yuji Nakazawa failed to get his header on target as the game laboured along, but chances at either end in the space of a minute almost brought the game to life.
Lucas Barrios tricked his way past Komano and forced a decent save out of Kawashima, and Daisuke Matsui gathered a loose ball and rifled in a shot that clattered off the crossbar.
But the fireworks were short-lived and Roque Santa Cruz dragged an effort wide before Matsui fed Keisuke Honda who, with team-mate Okubo in acres of space, elected to shoot and missed the target.
Yuto Nagatomo’s effort from distance deflected into the arms of Villar and Nakazawa’s brilliant block then denied Edgar Benitez after the restart.
Cristian Riveros then met an inviting cross from Morel but nodded straight at Kawashima, while at the other end Tulio headed Endo’s out-swinging corner just wide.
Villar had to react quickly when Paulo Da Silva almost let in Honda with a poor backpass, and the last chance of note in regulation saw Kawashima do well to handle Edgar Barreto’s long-range effort after it took a wicked bounce.
Paraguay should have opened the scoring four minutes into the extra period but Barreto played the wrong pass for Barrios who had room to shoot in the Japan area.
Barrios then headed straight at Kawashima before Morel fed Nelson Valdez and, after turning smartly, he brought a fine save out of the Japan goalkeeper.
And Japan could have snatched a winner with four minutes remaining when Shinji Okazaki backheeled for Tamada who elected to cross instead of going for goal.
Both sides were looking clinical from the spot as Barreto, Barrios and Riveros all converted their attempts for Paraguay, with Yasuhito Endo and Makoto Hasebe on target for Japan.
But Komano then clattered the crossbar and despite Honda’s calmly taken effort, Valdez and Oscar Cardozo ensured Paraguay would reach the last eight.
Paraguay: J Villar, Morel R, Bonet, Santa Cruz (Cardozo 94), Benitez (N Valdez 60), Vera, Da Silva, Riveros, Lucas , Ortigoza (E Barreto 75), Alcaraz.
Japan: Kawashima, Abe (K Nakamura 81), Komano, Tulio, Nagatomo, Endo, Matsui (Okazaki 65), Okubo (Tamada 106), Hasebe, Honda, Nakazawa.
Bookings: Riveros (Paraguay), Nagatomo, Endo, Matsui, Honda (Japan)