Johannesburg: Paraguay exit the World Cup having reached the last eight for the first time and conceded just two goals in the entire tournament. With a little attacking ambition they may have made an even more lasting impression.
Gerardo Martino`s side will certainly be remembered as one of the best defensively organised teams who showed, in all their games, an impressive team ethic and discipline.
A 1-1 draw with Italy was a solid start to the tournament and the 2-0 win over Slovakia effectively secured passage to the last 16 -- a process confirmed by a dull but calculated goalless draw with New Zealand.
The game with Japan in the second round, though, showed a disappointing side to the Paraguayan approach.
Facing a team that they should, given the pedigree of their players, have been confident of beating, Martino`s men focused on frustrating Japan`s midfield and the game ended a goalless stalemate.Had Paraguay lost the penalty shootout, they would have headed home with a certain sense of under-achievement but they won the lottery and their prize was a meeting with the European champions at Ellis Park.
Oscar Cardozo had a second-half penalty saved by Spain keeper Iker Casillas and once David Villa put Spain in front it was hard to imagine a way back for Paraguay although Casillas had to be alert to keep out Lucas Barrios and Roque Santa Cruz.
"We gave our all, we had opportunities but unfortunately Spain scored and we didn`t. We didn`t have luck with us," Martino said.
Luck was one factor but Martino`s reluctance to push players forward and really test the Spanish defence, the inherent cautiousness of Paraguay`s approach, was also part of their undoing.The back-four, marshalled superbly by Antolin Alcaraz, proved to be of the highest standard throughout the tournament but despite having some quality in attack, Paraguay were not able to penetrate enough.
Martino`s team have, however, established themselves among the South American elite, and in what has ultimately become a disappointing tournament for that region, Paraguay`s resolute rearguard will stand them in good stead for next year`s Copa America.
Bureau Report
By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts.
Cookies Setting
By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device and the processing of information obtained via those cookies (including about your preferences, device and online activity) by us and our commercial partners to enhance site navigation, personalise ads, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. More information can be found in our Cookies and Privacy Policy. You can amend your cookie settings to reject non-essential cookies by clicking Cookie Settings below.
Manage Consent Preferences
Strictly Necessary Cookies
These cookies are necessary for the website to function and cannot be switched off in our systems. They are usually only set in response to actions made by you which amount to a request for services, such as setting your privacy preferences, logging in or filling in forms. You can set your browser to block or alert you about these cookies, but some parts of the site will not then work or you may not be able to login.
Functional Cookies
These cookies enable the website to provide enhanced functionality and personalisation. They may be set by us or by third party providers whose services we have added to our pages. If you do not allow these cookies then some or all of these services may not function properly.
Targeting Cookies
These cookies may be set through our site by our advertising partners. They may be used by those companies to build a profile of your interests and show you relevant adverts on other sites. They are also used to limit the number of times you see an advert as well as help measure the effectiveness of an advertising campaign. They do not store directly personal information, but are based on uniquely identifying your browser and internet device. If you do not allow these cookies, you will experience less targeted advertising.
Performance Cookies
These cookies allow us to count visits and traffic sources so we can measure and improve the performance of our site. They help us to know which pages are the most and least popular and see how visitors move around the site. All information these cookies collect is aggregated and therefore anonymous. If you do not allow these cookies we may not know when you have visited our site, and may not be able to monitor its performance.