Paraguay face deflated Slovakia
BLOEMFONTEIN, South Africa (AP) — Despite opening their World Cup campaigns with matching results, Paraguay and Slovakia will enter today’s Group F showdown in Bloemfontein with very different feelings.
Paraguay are sure to be buoyed by their 1-1 draw with world champions Italy in Cape Town.
Slovakia are certain to be deflated after conceding a 93rd minute equaliser to unfancied New Zealand in their 1-1 game in Rustenburg.
Group F is the tightest at the tournament, with all four teams showing exactly the same records: each has one draw, and has scored one goal and conceded one goal.
Today’s second round of group games gives each country another chance to emerge as contenders for a place in the knockout stage.
After holding the group favourites at Green Point Stadium, Paraguay feel they have the momentum and are confident enough to talk of a first-ever appearance in the World Cup quarter-finals.
“We want to go at least to the quarter-finals because in Paraguayan history it’s never been done,” striker Roque Santa Cruz said.
Santa Cruz, the Manchester City striker and Paraguay’s best player, is also positive about his own fitness after struggling with injury in the run-in to the tournament and only playing the final 22 minutes against Italy.
Santa Cruz is back in contention for a place in Argentine coach Gerardo Martino’s starting team against Slovakia even though that will mean breaking up the forward line of Borussia Dortmund teammates Nelson Valdez and Lucas Barrios — who impressed against Italy.