Paraguay, Japan vie for first-ever quarter-final spot

PRETORIA - At stake for both teams is a first-ever spot in a World Cup football quarter-final match when Paraguay and Japan do battle at Loftus Versfeld Stadium here Tuesday afternoon.

Paraguay topped Group F, which included now-dethroned world champions Italy, to reach the Round of 16 for the fourth time.

Japan made it through to the World Cup’s knockout stages for only the second time after placing behind the Netherlands in Group E.

History favours Paraguay, which have won twice, drawn three times and lost once against Japan.

The South Americans have carried on from an impressive run in the qualifiers, when they were runners-up to Brazil, by holding Italy and New Zealand to draws and beating Slovakia 2-0.

Paraguay owe their current success to a very strong Argentine influence - coach Gerardo ‘Tata’ Martino, 47, is from Rosario, Argentina, and he picked four Argentine-born players for his World Cup squad.

Martino won league titles with Libertad and Cerro Porteno in a five-year span and was the obvious choice to succeed Anibal Ruiz after Paraguay failed to make it past the group stage of the 2006 World Cup in Germany.

Paraguay have always been known as a hard-working team with a solid defence, but Martino has transformed them in a cohesive, passing team.

They have allowed just one goal thus far in South Africa, but even Martino has admitted they will need to be much sharper in front of goal after netting a mere three goals. Star striker Roque Santa Cruz has yet to hit target.

“We weren’t very mobile and we were quite inaccurate against New Zealand. We had a lot of problems in an area where we didn’t expect it, and that was in attack,” said Martino, who has expressed concerns about Japan’s quick breaks and dead-ball prowess.

Manchester City star Cruz conceded that improvements were needed but remained bullish about his team’s chances in the tournament.

“The quarter-finals would be a dream, but we are capable of getting further. I believe it’s now up to us to know where we want to get to because we have the potential,” said Cruz, reportedly a transfer target of Spanish side Valencia.

Japan’s Blue Samurai reached the knockout rounds in 2002, when they co-hosted the World Cup with South Korea, and have set a semi-final target for themselves in South Africa.

Asia’s last hope at this World Cup, Japan owe their surprise run to Keisuke Honda and Asia Footballer of the Year Yasuhito Endo, who combined to demolish Denmark in a winner-take-all clash last week.

Honda, a 24-year-old attacking midfielder for CSKA Moscow, has attracted attention not only for his ball skills but also because he has shown he can mix it up against uncompromising defences like those of Denmark and Cameroon.

Japan coach Takeshi Okada has been the butt of jokes, especially back home, after he insisted his team would reach the last four of the World Cup despite a less than convincing showing in the build-up.

He says his team have more left in the tank.

“We haven’t achieved our final objective. We have to go for more, starting with what will be a first game in the knockout stage against Paraguay, who press hard on defence and are very fast in transition from defence to attack,” Okada remarked.

Okada, who also coached Japan at the 1998 World Cup, said he would step down after this tournament.