Paraguay vs Spain Preview – Quarter Final | World Cup 2010

Spain and Paraguay aiming for their best ever World Cup finishes

Paraguay will be attempting to reach the semi finals for the first time in team history while Spain is aiming to at least equal their best ever finish of fourth place at a World Cup when the two meet in a quarterfinal clash at Johannesburg on July 3

Spain had to win their last Group H game against Chile to make the playoffs after losing to Switzerland 1-0 and beating Honduras 2-0. They beat Chile 2-1 and the three points and goal difference put them in first place with six points. They then looked impressive in their 1-0 playoff match against Portugal and seem to be peaking at the right time.

Paraguay drew reigning World Cup champions Italy 1-1 and then beat Slovakia 2-0 before drawing New Zealand 0-0 for five points and top place in Group F. They then beat Japan 5-3 in a penalty shootout in their playoff game after a goalless 120 minutes to reach the quarterfinals for the first time.

For all the scoring power Paraguay has with forwards Oscar Cardozo, Edgar Benitez, Lucas Barrios, Nelson Valdez, Roque Santa Cruz, and Rodolfo Gamarra in the squad, they don’t attack enough though. This will be fatal against Spain because if they fall behind as the Spanish are masters at ball possession, as shown against Portugal. Their chances may be few and far between, so Paraguay has to make the best of them. If they do happen to get the lead, it’s possible they could hang on for a victory, but if they sit back and wait for chances instead of trying to create them, they could be waiting all night.

Spanish striker David Villa is on fire at the moment with four goals in the tournament so far and that’s a good thing for Spain as his partner Fernando Torres is stone cold. Torres was taken off against Portugal and replaced by Fernando Llorente who played well for the rest of the game. It shouldn’t shock fans if Llorente starts against Paraguay and they still have midfielder Cesc Fabregas who can score goals if needed as a substitute.

The Spanish defence is solid with Gerard Pique, Carles Puyol, Joan Capdevila, and Sergio Ramos, and keeper Iker Casillas has been there when called upon for the most part, but he still doesn’t look like the Casillas of old. Spain looked off form in the group stage, but owned the ball against Portugal, so it looks like Paraguay is meeting them at the wrong time.

Spain vs Paraguay Odds and Predictions

The two teams have met just three times in the past with Spain winning once and the other two ending in draws. Spain has a habit of underachieving in the World Cup, so it wouldn’t be a huge shock if they get knocked out here. But going on the form of the two teams at the moment they should take this game 2-0.

Germany vs Argentina Preview – Quarter Final | World Cup 2010

Germany’s youth set to take on Argentina’s experience

Germany is hoping to win its fourth overall World Cup while Argentina is attempting to lift it for the third time, but something’s got to give as they are set to meet each other in a classic quarterfinal matchup at Green Point stadium in Cape Town on July 3.

Germany survived a scare after losing to 1-0 Serbia in group play, but came back strong in their 1-0 win over Ghana to take top spot in Group D with six points. They then took care of England 4-1 in their playoff game. Argentina breezed through Group B with three wins for nine points and then took care of Mexico 3-1. Along with Holland, they are the only team to have won all four of their games.

The two teams have met each other 18 times previously with Argentina winning eight, losing five and drawing five, while outscoring the Germans 25 to 23 in the process. The last time they met was at the quarterfinal stage in Germany in 2006 when the home team won 4-2 in a penalty shootout. Both teams are preparing themselves for another shootout by studying videos of their opponent’s penalty kicks. Argentina beat Germany 3-2 in the final in 1986 and Germany returned the favour in 1990 with a 1-0 win to hoist the trophy.

Both teams have excellent firepower up front with Carlos Tevez and Gonzalo Higuain leading the way for Argentina. Higuain has four goals while Tevez has a pair. Lionel Messi has yet to score, but has been having a superb tournament all the same and looks dangerous every time he has the ball. Substitutes Diego Milito and Martin Palermo are also top notch goal scorers. For Germany, strikers Miroslav Klose and Lukas Podolski each have two while midfielder Thomas Mueller leads the team with three. Midfielder Mesut Oezil also has the skills to score at any time. Substitute striker Cacau is out with an abdominal injury and is doubtful for the game.

German keeper Manuel Neuer looked a little shaky against England in the first half of their game, but then pulled off a brilliant save against Steven Gerrard in the second half to make up for it. Argentina’s Sergio Romero has let in two goals, but has been steady. He is playing behind a suspect defence though, which is Argentina’s weak spot and could be exploited by the German’s speed and passing.

The first goal in this game could be crucial as the team that falls behind will be forced to open things up. But these two teams like to attack in the first place, so it shouldn’t be a huge tactical alteration. Look for whoever scores first to try and add to the lead though instead of sitting on it, as this could prove to be a huge mistake.

Germany v Argentina Odds and Predictions

The Germans are young and fast, but inexperienced when compared to Argentina. However, their pinpoint passing and creativity could be enough to win this game by a goal. It might go into extra time or even penalty kicks, but Germany has the tools to take it 1-0.

Spain’s “We” Revolution | World Cup 2010

Spain’s “We” Revolution | World Cup 2010

I was on a plane en route to Helsinki last week when Spain beat Ukraine, 4-0. I was going to see the highlights later on Finnish TV, but before I could I was obliged to attend a conference for the day job, and go through the usual cheese and wine reception. The reindeer salami was good, but I was trapped in a small group ­ with a Dutch woman and two men, a Belgian and a Spaniard. The conversation was flagging. Suddenly, the doors flew open and in strode a Catalan lady, whom I recognized from the conference circuit. Spotting me and the Spaniard, and assuming Spanish to be our lingua franca, she exclaimed “Nosotros ganamos 4-0!” (We won 4-0!).

This was quite an extraordinary event, almost worthy of a newspaper headline. I can see it now: “Catalan Says ‘We’ When Referring to Spain!” Of course, never having heard such a phrase escape the lips of a citizen from Barcelona, I decided to respond with a joke ­— “You’re referring to the Estatut?” —­ upon which the lady in question picked up a piece of reindeer sausage and flung it (playfully) in my direction. (The Catalans have just won a vote which changes their constitution (Estatut) and basically grants them more autonomy – not that they were exactly under Madrid’s yoke before. But anyway. All power to them, say I.)

For some, it’s the beginning of the end – the “Balkanization” of Spain. It was Franco’s worst nightmare, the vision of a Spain broken up into its component parts with every little two-horse region given the official stamp to do more or less as they pleased under the auspices of cultural variety. Now that the Catalans have declared themselves a nation, says the right-wing of Spain, the rest will follow. It’s Eisenhower’s domino theory all over again, transferred to the Iberian Peninsula. And it’s going to happen soon, cry the traditionalists. Spain is fairly federalist anyway, after the 1978 Constitution granted self-regulatory rule to an unholy host of autonomous communities – but none of them went around proclaiming their nationhood. They took what they were given, and went back graciously to the table to eat. The only Oliver Twist to ask for more was the Basque Country, but everyone expected that.

The first World Cup held after democracy came to Spain was in 1982, as an implicit recognition of the country’s return to the fold. Spain played terribly, and went out at the first group stage – but let’s not dwell on that. Rather it needs to be mentioned that ever since that national debacle, the Spanish themselves have doubted their ability to come together as a nation and win a major sporting event. The bulk of the players in 1982 were from Real Madrid and the Basque region’s Real Sociedad. The latter had just won the Spanish league title. Rumors of the two factions in conflict abounded; it eventually became the accepted reason for the failure on the pitch. The players have always denied it, but methinks that some of them have protested too much.

Fast forward to 2006: Spain’s national team is doing rather well. They’ve qualified with ease for round two, beating Ukraine, Tunisia, and Saudi Arabia on Friday. The Tunisia match even featured an inspiring comeback. Suddenly, “we” were everywhere. “Somos el coco!” screamed Wednesday’s headline in Marca, Spain’s Madrid-based footballing tabloid. That phrase, loosely translated, “We are the tops” – is a curious one, suggesting that Spain is superior in all aspects of the World Cup – attack, defense, even handsomeness. (Well, Fernando Torres and Raúl were voted onto the list of the top ten best-looking players by the good ladies of Germany before the tournament.) That’s right, “we” have youth, experience, ambition and verve. Look upon my works ye mighty and despair! And we’ve (they’ve) only played two games.

Two wins, and the first person plural is everywhere, even on the lips of Catalans. Is the country perhaps about to swing back to a centrist, Madrid-based philosophy? The autonomists are quaking. Their only hope is that Spain will blow it, lose their confidence and come home a week later. If they keep on winning, who knows? Even the Basques might start to take an interest. Now that would be revolution.