King and Crown Prince offer condolence to Iranian president over the deadly port explosion    stc reports strong first-quarter 2025 results with 11% rise in net profit    Virgin Atlantic celebrates one month of nonstop service between London and Riyadh    Saudi Awwal Bank records SR2.1 billion net profit after zakat and income tax for 1Q25    Mahmoud Abbas appoints Hussein Al-Sheikh as PLO vice president in key succession move    Saudi Arabia's entertainment sector attracts 76 million visitors in 2024    Third round of US-Iran nuclear talks concludes with cautious optimism    Multiple casualties reported after vehicle drives into crowd at Vancouver street festival    Duran leads Al Nassr past Yokohama Marinos into AFC Champions League Elite semi-finals    Al Ahli cruise past Buriram into AFC Champions League Elite semi-finals    Saudi Arabia offers condolences to Iran following deadly Bandar Abbas port explosion    Saudi Arabia deports 12,866 illegal residents in a week    SFDA clears first 44-ton medical shipment for Hajj pilgrims    Ministry of Hajj issued over 150,000 Nusuk cards for the Hajj of 2025    Saudi orchestra to perform at Sydney Opera House in May    Al Hilal thrash Gwangju to reach AFC Champions League Elite semi-finals    Saudi Theater Commission launches its Work and Learn Project in UK    The season has begun — and one comment shook us all    Average life expectancy in Saudi Arabia rises to78.8 years    Famed Philippine film star Nora Aunor dies at 71    Pakistani star's Bollywood return excites fans and riles far right    Veteran Bollywood actor Manoj Kumar dies at 87    Bollywood actress vindicated over boyfriend's death after media hounding    Grand Mufti rules against posting prayers and preaching in mosques on social media    Exotic Taif Roses Simulation Performed at Taif Rose Festival    Asian shares mixed Tuesday    Weather Forecast for Tuesday    Saudi Tourism Authority Participates in Arabian Travel Market Exhibition in Dubai    Minister of Industry Announces 50 Investment Opportunities Worth over SAR 96 Billion in Machinery, Equipment Sector    HRH Crown Prince Offers Condolences to Crown Prince of Kuwait on Death of Sheikh Fawaz Salman Abdullah Al-Ali Al-Malek Al-Sabah    HRH Crown Prince Congratulates Santiago Peña on Winning Presidential Election in Paraguay    SDAIA Launches 1st Phase of 'Elevate Program' to Train 1,000 Women on Data, AI    41 Saudi Citizens and 171 Others from Brotherly and Friendly Countries Arrive in Saudi Arabia from Sudan    Saudi Arabia Hosts 1st Meeting of Arab Authorities Controlling Medicines    General Directorate of Narcotics Control Foils Attempt to Smuggle over 5 Million Amphetamine Pills    NAVI Javelins Crowned as Champions of Women's Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO) Competitions    Saudi Karate Team Wins Four Medals in World Youth League Championship    Third Edition of FIFA Forward Program Kicks off in Riyadh    Evacuated from Sudan, 187 Nationals from Several Countries Arrive in Jeddah    SPA Documents Thajjud Prayer at Prophet's Mosque in Madinah    SFDA Recommends to Test Blood Sugar at Home Two or Three Hours after Meals    SFDA Offers Various Recommendations for Safe Food Frying    SFDA Provides Five Tips for Using Home Blood Pressure Monitor    SFDA: Instant Soup Contains Large Amounts of Salt    Mawani: New shipping service to connect Jubail Commercial Port to 11 global ports    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Delivers Speech to Pilgrims, Citizens, Residents and Muslims around the World    Sheikh Al-Issa in Arafah's Sermon: Allaah Blessed You by Making It Easy for You to Carry out This Obligation. Thus, Ensure Following the Guidance of Your Prophet    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques addresses citizens and all Muslims on the occasion of the Holy month of Ramadan    







Thank you for reporting!
This image will be automatically disabled when it gets reported by several people.



Paraguay ousts Japan in shootout
Published in The Saudi Gazette on 30 - 06 - 2010

Paraguay's Oscar Cardozo (L) celebrates with goalkeeper Justo Villar after scoring the winning penalty against Japan during the shootout at Loftus Versfeld Stadium in Pretoria Tuesday. –Reuters
By Frank Griffiths
PRETORIA – Paraguay kept its cool through a shootout and advanced to the World Cup quarterfinals for the first time, beating Japan 5-3 on penalties Tuesday after a 0-0 draw.
Yuichi Komano hit the crossbar on the third penalty, while Paraguay substitute Oscar Cardozo walked up casually and scored the winning kick, faking out the goalkeeper.
Paraguay coach Gerardo Martino said the team only practiced taking penalty kicks once.
“Nobody could say we weren't prepared,” Martino said.
“But our execution (in practice) wasn't too good. There is a lot of fear and tension during a match. It is difficult to go through a match like that with extra time and penalties. Everybody knows that this is unfair to have it decided by a penalty shootout, but that's the way it is.”
Paraguay will face Spain in the quarterfinals after the European champions beat Portugal 1-0 in Tuesday's other second-round match.
Paraguay and Japan played cautiously, but didn't lack scoring opportunities. “It is very difficult to narrow down why we didn't score,” Japan coach Takeshi Okada said. “We should have made the opportunities. I think it is my responsibility.”
Paraguay dominated possession in the first half, but Japan had the better chances. Midfielder Daisuke Matsui intercepted a poor clearance from the Paraguay defense and his shot from 25 meters hit the crossbar in the 22nd. Keisuke Honda curled a shot just wide from the edge of the area after a quick break down the right by Matsui in the 40th.
Paraguay forward Lucas Barrios latched onto to a through ball in the 20th and sidestepped the last defender into the penalty area, but his weak shot with the outside of his foot went straight at Japan goalkeeper Eiji Kawashima.
Roque Santa Cruz wasted a good chance for Paraguay just before the half hour mark when a corner glanced off another player and fell to him about six meters out, but the striker's shot went wide of Kawashima's left post.
There was more of the same in the second half, with Paraguay dominating possession but doing little with it.
Japan left back Yuto Nagatomo's close-range shot in the 54th deflected off a Paraguay defender straight at goalkeeper Justo Villar. Japan center back Yuji Nakazawa made a crucial block in the 56th of a close-range shot by Edgar Benitez and the ball went out for a corner.
Paraguay midfielder Christian Riveros then headed straight at Kawashima in the 59th.
Paraguay had the best chance in the first period of extra time when Claudio Morel cut in from the left and fed the ball to a sliding Nelson Valdez in the 97th, but the substitute's effort went straight to Kawashima.
Japan's prowess from free kicks nearly paid off again in the 98th when Honda forced a save by Villar. The Asian team pressed for a winner late in extra time, but didn't have enough players forward when a cross went across the face of goal with no Paraguay defenders covering the empty space.
“I have no regrets over the way we played,” Okada said. “I am really proud of the players.”
The South Americans have a solid defense and conceded only one goal, against Italy, in the tournament.
“Quite obviously we are having a party and celebrating with the rest of the people of Paraguay,” Martino said.
“I can imagine the happiness of the people there and let them enjoy it. The players have made a huge effort.”


Clic here to read the story from its source.