An 83rd minute goal from David Villa defeated a dogged Paraguay as Spain unconvincingly booked a World Cup semi-final tie with Germany.
Paraguay depart as Cardozo and Alonso both miss pens
An 83rd minute goal from David Villa defeated a dogged Paraguay as Spain unconvincingly booked a World Cup semi-final tie with Germany.
Villa scored with seven minutes remaining at Ellis Park to save his country's blushes following an unusually lacklustre performance and send them to the last four for the first time in their history.
The winning goal came after Oscar Cardozo and Xabi Alonso both missed penalties, the latter following a re-take.
Spain head coach Vicente del Bosque name an unchanged starting XI, despite pressure to remove the mis-firing Fernando Torres. Chile, meanwhile, made six changes to the team which beat Japan on penalties. Among those alterations, forward trio Roque Santa Cruz, Lucas Barrios and Edgar Benitez all dropped to the bench.
Paraguay enjoyed an opening as early as the first minute when Jonathan Santana's effort was smothered by Iker Casillas. Spain, who began with a 4-4-2 system as David Villa partnered Torres, struggled to create in the opening 10 minutes and again their opponents half-threatened with Cristian Riveros plopping a header over the bar.
The game continued to struggle for a natural rhythm, with Spain notably frustrated as their first threat was merely a Sergio Ramos crossed which was punched away by Villar. And then Paraguay came within a whisker of a real opportunity when an unmarked Antolin Alcaraz almost got his head to a teasing free-kick.
Loose passing
Around the half-hour mark, there were glimpses that Spain were finding themselves. First, Villa, back on the left channel, darted past his man but could not find a team-mate with his cut-back. Then, Xavi went mighty close after his first touch went airborne and he swivelled before unleashing a dipping drive that flew just over the bar.
But the Paraguayans wasted little time in reminding Spain of their own threat. In the 35th minute, a wonderful cross from Claudio Morel only just evaded Santana before Nelson Valdez had the ball in the back of the net, only for the flag to be raised for offside after Cardozo became active when challenging for the ball.
And despite Spain expectantly dominating possession, the scoreline remained unexpectedly goalless. Indeed, just prior to the half-time whistle, Valdez wriggled goalwards but then sliced his strike wayward to conclude 45 minutes of Spain out-of-sorts and Paraguay sensing so but unable to pounce.
The second half picked up where the first left off, with Paraguay organised, despite their six changes, and Spain lacklustre with their passing unusually loose at times. And in the 55th minute, Del Bosque acted, bringing on Cesc Fabregas for the continually disappointing Torres.
Then, between the 55th and 62nd minute, madness took place. First, Paraguay won a penalty when Gerard Pique pulled down Cardozo in the area. The central defender was rightly booked for the misdemeanour before Cardozo dusted himself to take the spot-kick, only to see the strike saved by Casillas - although no re-take was awarded despite obvious encroachment from Spanish players.
Penalty madness
Almost immediately up the other end, referee Carlos Batres again pointed to the spot, this time for a foul committed by Alcaraz on Villa, with the former arguably lucky to only be booked and not dismissed for seemingly denying the latter a goalscoring opportunity. Xabi Alonso stepped up and slotted in, but, ironically, the official this time wanted a re-take for marginal encroachment.
Alonso trotted up once more but Villar denied him. The goalkeeper dove to his left to parry and the ball spilled in the penalty area. Fabregas aimed to fire in the rebound but he was wiped out by Villar before the ball finally was removed from danger. The referee, however, staggeringly saw nothing wrong with the challenge on Fabregas.
On 63 minutes, Andres Iniesta's curling shot was theatrically palmed clear by Vilar as Spain upped their tempo. A spate of changes then took place, with Paraguay's Edgar Barreto and Valdez replaced by Enrique Vera and Roque Santa Cruz, while Del Bosque swapped Alonso for Pedro.
With seven minutes remaining, the deadlock was finally broken. Iniesta embarked on a quite dazzling run and fed Pedro, who struck but hit the foot of the post. The rebound fell to Villa, who steadied himself and saw his shot clip both posts before rolling home to put the Spaniards in front and take his goals tally for the tournament to five.
Paraguay spurned their opportunity for a dramatic leveller when Casillas spilled Lucas Barrios' strike but redeemed himself as he blocked at the second attempt with Santa Cruz drilling against the keeper's leg. Gerardo Martino's men perhaps deserved at least extra-time, but they were ultimately undone by probably the player of the 2010 World Cup.
