Paraguay 0-0 Japan aet (Paraguay win 5-3 on Penalties)
This was a poor game. It was as if neither side believed that it was good enough to beat the other. So often when that is the case, stalemate ensues. I suppose that those of us who love the odd penalty shoot out now and again were happy, me especially as I've had to wait since the Cardiff v Leicester one in the Championship play-off semi final.
With five penalties taken and scored, Japan's full back Komano beat the 'keeper all ends up with his penalty. Unfortunately, he also missed the goal, the ball ricocheting back off the cross bar. Advantage Paraguay, I believe they would have said had this been a tennis match - to be honest it was about as exciting as a tennis match, so the analogy holds. Anyway, claws away, two more penalties were taken and scored which meant that should Benfica's Oscar Cardozo score, his team would be through to the quarter finals. It was a great penalty belying the pressure on the man - coolly tucked away to the goalie's right as he moved off to his left. Bring on the Europeans...
