Source: The Sangai Express / Agencies
Pretoria, June 29 2010:
Paraguay beat Japan on penalties to move into the World Cup quarterfinals on Tuesday after the match had finished in a goalless stalemate after extra time.
Japan's Yuichi Komano hit the crossbar with his team's third spot kick, the only one missed in the first shootout of the finals.
Paraguay, who become the fourth South American team after Argentina, Brazil and Uruguay, in the last eight, will now meet Spain or Portugal after holding their nerve to win the shootout 5-3 .
The South Americans had enjoyed more possession during the 0-0 draw which had relatively few clear goal chances at either end.
A cagey opening brought few clear-cut chances but the game sparked to life in the 20th minute, Eiji Kawashima saving with his knee from Lucas Barrios, then Daisuke Matsui cracking the Paraguay crossbar with a curling 25-metres effort.