- Date:29 Jun 2010
- Kick-off:15:00
- Venue:Loftus Versfeld Stadium
- Attendance:36,742
Live Commentary
- 125mins
Oscar Cardozo scores a penalty. Paraguay 5-3 Japan on penalties.
- 125mins
Penalty scored by Keisuke Honda. Paraguay 4-3 Japan on penalties.
- 124mins
Nelson Haedo Valdez scores a penalty. Paraguay 4-2 Japan on penalties.
- 123mins
Penalty missed by Yuichi Komano.
- 122mins
Cristian Riveros scores a penalty. Paraguay 3-2 Japan on penalties.
- 122mins
Makoto Hasebe scores a penalty. Paraguay 2-2 Japan on penalties.
- 121mins
Penalty scored by Lucas Barrios. Paraguay 2-1 Japan on penalties.
- 120mins
Yasuhito Endo scores a penalty. Paraguay 1-1 Japan on penalties.
- 120mins
Penalty scored by Edgar Barreto. Paraguay 1-0 Japan on penalties.
The players are ready for the drama of the penalty shoot-out.
The match goes to a penalty shoot-out.
- 117mins
Cristian Riveros handles the ball and concedes a free kick. Booking for Cristian Riveros. Eiji Kawashima takes the direct free kick.
- 114mins
Unfair challenge on Oscar Cardozo by Marcus Tanaka results in a free kick. Carlos Bonet takes the direct free kick.
- 112mins
Unfair challenge on Enrique Vera by Yasuhito Endo results in a free kick. Yasuhito Endo goes into the book. Claudio Morel Rodriguez takes the direct free kick.
- 111mins
Antolin Alcaraz gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Shinji Okazaki. Yasuhito Endo delivers the ball, Marcus Tanaka has a headed effort at goal from close range which goes wide left of the target.
- 110mins
Corner taken left-footed by Claudio Morel Rodriguez from the right by-line, Headed effort from deep inside the area by Paulo Da Silva misses to the left of the goal.
- 109mins
Free kick awarded for a foul by Yuto Nagatomo on Cristian Riveros. Justo Villar restarts play with the free kick.
- 108mins
Free kick awarded for an unfair challenge on Claudio Morel Rodriguez by Keisuke Honda. A cross is delivered by Claudio Morel Rodriguez, Nelson Haedo Valdez takes a shot. Eiji Kawashima makes a comfortable save.
- 106mins
Foul by Cristian Riveros on Keiji Tamada, free kick awarded. Free kick crossed right-footed by Yasuhito Endo, clearance by Lucas Barrios.
- 105mins
Free kick awarded for a foul by Nelson Haedo Valdez on Makoto Hasebe. Free kick taken by Eiji Kawashima.
The match restarts for the second half of extra time.
- 105mins
(Japan) makes a substitution, with Keiji Tamada coming on for Yoshito Okubo.
- 103mins
Handball by Lucas Barrios. Eiji Kawashima takes the direct free kick.
- 102mins
Edgar Barreto challenges Keisuke Honda unfairly and gives away a free kick. Free kick crossed right-footed by Yasuhito Endo from own half, save by Justo Villar.
- 101mins
Unfair challenge on Yuji Nakazawa by Oscar Cardozo results in a free kick. Eiji Kawashima takes the direct free kick.
- 100mins
Headed effort from deep inside the penalty area by Edgar Barreto goes harmlessly over the crossbar.
- 97mins
Yoshito Okubo fouled by Carlos Bonet, the ref awards a free kick. Shot comes in from Keisuke Honda from the free kick, save by Justo Villar. Outswinging corner taken by Yasuhito Endo from the right by-line played to the near post, Lucas Barrios makes a clearance.
- 96mins
Nelson Haedo Valdez takes a shot. Save by Eiji Kawashima.
- 95mins
Foul by Kengo Nakamura on Paulo Da Silva, free kick awarded. Direct free kick taken by Paulo Da Silva.
- 94mins
Free kick awarded for a foul by Keisuke Honda on Paulo Da Silva. Paulo Da Silva restarts play with the free kick.
- 94mins
A cross is delivered by Claudio Morel Rodriguez, Lucas Barrios takes a shot. Save by Eiji Kawashima.
- 93mins
Oscar Cardozo is brought on as a substitute for Roque Santa Cruz.
- 92mins
Free kick awarded for an unfair challenge on Yoshito Okubo by Enrique Vera. Yasuhito Endo takes the free kick.
- 90mins
Shot by Kengo Nakamura. Blocked by Antolin Alcaraz. Outswinging corner taken from the right by-line by Yasuhito Endo.
The whistle goes to signal the end of normal time, with extra time looming.
- 92mins
Keisuke Honda is penalised for handball and concedes a free kick. Keisuke Honda goes into the book for unsporting behaviour. The free kick is delivered left-footed by Claudio Morel Rodriguez from right channel.
- 90mins
Keisuke Honda fouled by Claudio Morel Rodriguez, the ref awards a free kick. Yasuhito Endo crosses the ball in from the free kick.
- 88mins
A cross is delivered by Enrique Vera.
- 87mins
Unfair challenge on Paulo Da Silva by Makoto Hasebe results in a free kick. Justo Villar takes the direct free kick.
- 87mins
A cross is delivered by Yuichi Komano, Paulo Da Silva manages to make a clearance.
- 84mins
Lucas Barrios challenges Yuto Nagatomo unfairly and gives away a free kick. Free kick taken by Eiji Kawashima.
- 81mins
Yuto Nagatomo sends in a cross, free kick awarded for an unfair challenge on Eiji Kawashima by Cristian Riveros. Eiji Kawashima takes the free kick.
- 81mins
Edgar Barreto is penalised for a handball. Marcus Tanaka takes the free kick.
- 80mins
Yuki Abe leaves the field to be replaced by Kengo Nakamura.
- 79mins
Unfair challenge on Edgar Barreto by Yasuhito Endo results in a free kick. Antolin Alcaraz takes the free kick.
- 78mins
Edgar Barreto takes a shot. Save made by Eiji Kawashima.
- 77mins
A cross is delivered by Nelson Haedo Valdez.
- 74mins
Edgar Barreto on for Nestor Ortigoza.
- 74mins
Corner taken right-footed by Claudio Morel Rodriguez.
- 72mins
Yuto Nagatomo takes a shot. Justo Villar makes a comfortable save. Nelson Haedo Valdez fouled by Shinji Okazaki, the ref awards a free kick. Free kick crossed by Claudio Morel Rodriguez.
- 72mins
The ball is delivered by Yuichi Komano, clearance made by Antolin Alcaraz.
- 70mins
Yuto Nagatomo challenges Nelson Haedo Valdez unfairly and gives away a free kick. Yuto Nagatomo booked for unsporting behaviour. Free kick crossed right-footed by Carlos Bonet, Yuji Nakazawa manages to make a clearance.
- 70mins
Corner taken by Yasuhito Endo from the right by-line, Roque Santa Cruz manages to make a clearance.
- 69mins
Shinji Okazaki fouled by Cristian Riveros, the ref awards a free kick. Yuji Nakazawa takes the direct free kick.
- 68mins
Lucas Barrios fouled by Keisuke Honda, the ref awards a free kick. Claudio Morel Rodriguez takes the free kick.
- 65mins
Unfair challenge on Carlos Bonet by Yasuhito Endo results in a free kick. The free kick is swung in left-footed by Carlos Bonet.
- 64mins
Yuto Nagatomo sends in a cross. Daisuke Matsui goes off and Shinji Okazaki comes on.
- 63mins
Corner taken left-footed by Claudio Morel Rodriguez from the left by-line, Unfair challenge on Makoto Hasebe by Lucas Barrios results in a free kick. Eiji Kawashima restarts play with the free kick.
- 61mins
Corner taken right-footed by Yasuhito Endo from the right by-line, Headed effort from inside the area by Marcus Tanaka misses to the right of the target.
- 60mins
Free kick awarded for an unfair challenge on Yuji Nakazawa by Nelson Haedo Valdez. Free kick taken by Eiji Kawashima.
- 59mins
Nelson Haedo Valdez comes on in place of Edgar Benitez.
- 58mins
Centre by Claudio Morel Rodriguez, Cristian Riveros takes a shot. Save by Eiji Kawashima.
- 57mins
Edgar Benitez crosses the ball, clearance made by Yuji Nakazawa.
- 56mins
Handball by Daisuke Matsui. Daisuke Matsui is booked. Free kick taken by Antolin Alcaraz.
- 55mins
Edgar Benitez takes a shot. Yuji Nakazawa gets a block in. Outswinging corner taken by Claudio Morel Rodriguez from the left by-line.
- 53mins
Daisuke Matsui delivers the ball, clearance made by Paulo Da Silva. Yuto Nagatomo takes a shot. Lucas Barrios is flagged offside by the assistant referee. Free kick taken by Eiji Kawashima.
- 52mins
Claudio Morel Rodriguez sends in a cross, Makoto Hasebe makes a clearance. The ball is sent over by Claudio Morel Rodriguez, Yuki Abe makes a clearance.
- 51mins
The offside flag is raised against Yoshito Okubo. Direct free kick taken by Carlos Bonet.
- 48mins
Free kick awarded for a foul by Daisuke Matsui on Claudio Morel Rodriguez. Free kick taken by Claudio Morel Rodriguez.
- 47mins
Unfair challenge on Yuji Nakazawa by Enrique Vera results in a free kick. Direct free kick taken by Yuji Nakazawa.
- 45mins
Unfair challenge on Roque Santa Cruz by Yuto Nagatomo results in a free kick. Roque Santa Cruz takes the direct free kick.
The referee blows his whistle to start the second half.
The first half comes to an end.
- 44mins
Lucas Barrios challenges Yuto Nagatomo unfairly and gives away a free kick. Direct free kick taken by Eiji Kawashima.
- 44mins
Unfair challenge on Claudio Morel Rodriguez by Yoshito Okubo results in a free kick. Claudio Morel Rodriguez takes the free kick.
- 43mins
Cristian Riveros concedes a free kick for a foul on Yasuhito Endo. Direct free kick taken by Eiji Kawashima.
- 42mins
Daisuke Matsui challenges Nestor Ortigoza unfairly and gives away a free kick. Free kick taken by Nestor Ortigoza.
- 41mins
Paulo Da Silva challenges Keisuke Honda unfairly and gives away a free kick. The free kick is delivered right-footed by Yasuhito Endo from left channel, Lucas Barrios manages to make a clearance.
- 39mins
Shot from just outside the penalty area by Keisuke Honda misses to the left of the target.
- 38mins
A cross is delivered by Yuichi Komano.
- 37mins
Unfair challenge on Antolin Alcaraz by Makoto Hasebe results in a free kick. Direct free kick taken by Antolin Alcaraz.
- 35mins
Unfair challenge on Keisuke Honda by Paulo Da Silva results in a free kick. Yasuhito Endo crosses the ball from the free kick right-footed from left wing, clearance by Roque Santa Cruz. Short corner taken by Yasuhito Endo from the left by-line.
- 34mins
Keisuke Honda produces a cross, Claudio Morel Rodriguez manages to make a clearance.
- 31mins
The ball is sent over by Makoto Hasebe, clearance by Carlos Bonet.
- 27mins
Claudio Morel Rodriguez takes the outswinging corner, Effort on goal by Roque Santa Cruz from deep inside the penalty area misses to the right of the target.
- 27mins
Lucas Barrios sends in a cross, Yuki Abe makes a clearance.
- 25mins
Claudio Morel Rodriguez crosses the ball.
- 24mins
Free kick awarded for a foul by Keisuke Honda on Carlos Bonet. Carlos Bonet takes the free kick.
- 22mins
The ball is delivered by Edgar Benitez.
- 21mins
Daisuke Matsui takes a shot.
- 20mins
Effort on goal by Enrique Vera from long distance goes over the crossbar.
- 19mins
Lucas Barrios takes a shot. Save by Eiji Kawashima.
- 13mins
Yasuhito Endo fouled by Nestor Ortigoza, the ref awards a free kick. Yasuhito Endo crosses the ball from the free kick right-footed from left channel, Paulo Da Silva manages to make a clearance. Handball by Yuki Abe. Justo Villar takes the free kick.
- 9mins
Foul by Yoshito Okubo on Roque Santa Cruz, free kick awarded. Claudio Morel Rodriguez crosses the ball in from the free kick, save by Eiji Kawashima.
- 6mins
Roque Santa Cruz produces a cross.
- 5mins
Free kick awarded for an unfair challenge on Yuki Abe by Enrique Vera. Marcus Tanaka takes the direct free kick.
- 4mins
Paulo Da Silva challenges Yoshito Okubo unfairly and gives away a free kick. Direct free kick taken by Marcus Tanaka.
- 3mins
Cristian Riveros takes a outswinging corner from the left by-line played to the near post.
- 2mins
Yuichi Komano takes a shot. Justo Villar makes a comfortable save.
- 2mins
Roque Santa Cruz gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Yuji Nakazawa. Free kick taken by Yuji Nakazawa.
- 1mins
Daisuke Matsui challenges Cristian Riveros unfairly and gives away a free kick. Direct free kick taken by Antolin Alcaraz.
Yoshito Okubo produces a right-footed shot from outside the penalty area and misses left.
The match has kicked off.
Match Preview
Martino keen to strike first blow Paraguay coach Gerardo Martino believes the first goal in the last-16 showdown with Japan could prove crucial as both teams look to create history by reaching the quarter-finals of the World Cup for the first time. With just three goals to their credit, Paraguay were the lowest scorers of any of the eight pool winners, although Martino's men only conceded once in their three Group F games. Japan, who finished second in Group E, were not much more prolific, scoring one more goal and conceding one more than the South Americans, and the encounter in Pretoria could well be a tight affair. Martino said: "I personally think that it's really important to score the first goal. "It is really decisive to score the first goal in the World Cup, especially when you get to the knockout stages, where with a win you stay and with a defeat you go home. "If you have a goal scored against you it is very difficult to catch up knowing you only have 90 minutes to do so." Neither side have reached the last eight of the World Cup before. Paraguay have reached the last 16 in three of the last four World Cups but so far have not been able to get any further. When asked about the possibility of his side writing their names in national folklore, Argentinian Martino said: "Well of course we came to the World Cup with dreams and we're working on it, we're still in the race." To achieve their goal, Martino believes it is vital they get one key area of their game right. "I believe if you want to aspire to something higher in the competition you must have better ball possession and use it better," he said. "We're making a huge effort to improve our ball possession as I think this is the basis of our ambition in the World Cup. "We've succeeded in doing that in some matches and in others less so. "If we have good ball possession and use it well, as well as putting pressure on our opponents, then we may win." Japan coach Takeshi Okada believes his side have the ability to reach their first World Cup quarter-final. The Japanese have only once before reached the knockout stages of the World Cup when, on home soil in 2002, they were eliminated at the second-round stage by Turkey. But the Blue Samurai are again in the last 16 in South Africa after beating Cameroon and Denmark to finish second in Group E behind Holland. That set up a showdown with Paraguay at Loftus Versfeld and for one of the nations a maiden appearance in the quarter-finals awaits. Okada is optimistic it will be his side making history, although he knows it will not be easy. "It will be a challenge for us as we try to get into the last eight for the first time, so we will be doing our absolute utmost to address this challenge," said Okada, whose side were the first team to book their place in South Africa after a relatively comfortable qualifying campaign. "Paraguay are solid in defence and quick in attack and it's clear they are good team because they finished first in their group but if we can deliver 100% of what we can do then I'm certain that we will be able to win. "So I hope that physically and mentally we can give everything." Paraguay helped contribute to one of the biggest surprises of the tournament so far - the early exit of defending champions Italy. The Italians finished bottom of Group F with Gerardo Martino's Paraguay going through as winners after beating Slovakia and drawing with the Azzurri and New Zealand. Okada added of the South Americans: "In their group they were first amongst very good teams. All of them were very good and strong in their group and they finished first. "Many of their players play in European leagues and they're all good players and up front particularly they are very quick. "Perhaps Paraguay aren't one of the most fancied teams but they are strong and good at going from defence to attack quickly, which is something we have to be careful about."
Paraguay
Japan
- Justo Villar
- Carlos Bonet
- Paulo Da Silva
- Antolin Alcaraz
- Claudio Morel Rodriguez
- Enrique Vera
- Nestor Ortigoza
- Cristian Riveros
- Roque Santa Cruz
- Lucas Barrios
- Edgar Benitez
- SUBS
- Diego Barreto
- Dario Veron
- Denis Caniza
- Julio Caceres
- Oscar Cardozo
- Edgar Barreto
- Jonathan Santana
- Aureliano Torres
- Nelson Haedo Valdez
- Aldo Bobadilla
- Rodolfo Gamarra
Home
Away
- Eiji Kawashima
- Yuichi Komano
- Yuji Nakazawa
- Marcus Tanaka
- Yuto Nagatomo
- Daisuke Matsui
- Yuki Abe
- Yasuhito Endo
- Makoto Hasebe
- Keisuke Honda
- Yoshito Okubo
- SUBS
- Seigo Narazaki
- Atsuto Uchida
- Shinji Okazaki
- Shunsuke Nakamura
- Keiji Tamada
- Kisho Yano
- Daiki Iwamasa
- Kengo Nakamura
- Yasuyuki Konno
- Takayuki Morimoto
- Junichi Inamoto
- Yoshikatsu Kawaguchi
Match Report
Paraguay progress as Japan pay penalty Paraguay progressed through to the quarter-finals of the World Cup for the first time in their history after beating Japan in a penalty shoot-out in Pretoria. With neither side able to make the breakthrough during 120 minutes of precious few goalscoring chances or notable incidents, it needed the first shoot-out of the 2010 World Cup to separate the two nations. And it was Paraguay who emerged victorious after Japan defender Yuichi Komano, looking to make it 3-3, slammed his effort against the crossbar. That proved to be the crucial miss as Paraguay scored all five of their efforts, with Oscar Cardozo casually slotting home the winning spot-kick to send his team wild. Paraguay will now meet the winners of tonight's match between Spain and Portugal for a place in the semi-finals, while the Blue Samurai head home after seeing their own dreams of a maiden World Cup quarter-final ended. There was little to separate the sides during an evenly-fought first half that produced only a couple of moments to excite the fans at Loftus Versfeld stadium. After a low-key opening 20 minutes in which defences were comfortably on top, the game briefly sparked into life with both sides going desperately close to scoring. First Paraguay forward Lucas Barrios produced a great turn to break free in the area, and his low shot was blocked by Japan goalkeeper Eiji Kawashima. Then, 60 seconds later, Daisuke Matsui rattled the Paraguay crossbar with a brilliant curling drive from outside the area that had the leaping Justo Villar beaten. Paraguay ace Roque Santa Cruz and Japan star Keisuke Honda also had half-chances as the period drew to a close, but both players fired their left-footed efforts just wide. It was little surprise to see the game deadlocked at the break, with neither side having been prolific scorers in qualifying for the last 16. Paraguay netted just three goals - the lowest of any of the eight pool winners - and conceded only once in finishing top of Group E, while Japan's three matches produced only two more goals as they claimed runners-up spot in Group E. With that in mind, Paraguay coach Gerardo Martino had stressed the importance of scoring first in this match, and that must have been the message he reiterated to his team at half-time as the South Americans began the second half on top. They looked dangerous down the left, and from one of their attacks Cristian Riveros powered a glancing header goalward, but Kawashima plucked the ball from underneath his crossbar. Although Paraguay were enjoying the better of proceedings, Japan also had a couple of efforts of their own through defenders Yuto Nagatomo and Tulio, but Villar was largely untroubled. That would prove to be the case for both goalkeepers over the final half-hour of regulation time with defences once again dominating, sending the match to extra-time. Paraguay enjoyed the better of the first period, with Barrios heading straight at Kawashima, who then came out quickly to block after Nelson Valdez had spun well on the edge of the area and poked a shot goalward. Neither side came particularly close to snatching a late winner in the second half of extra-time, meaning this year's World Cup would have its first penalty shoot-out - with Paraguay taking the honours.
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