Paraguay want to become party poopers in Polokwane on Thursday and end an amazing showing by New Zealand at the Soccer World Cup.
“It is the best team Paraguay has ever had. We have been playing together for years and are very experienced and mentally strong,” boasted Manchester City striker Roque Santa Cruz.
“Paraguay have never been to the quarterfinals. This is our goal and when we reach that, everything is possible. We have beaten Argentina and Brazil, two of the best teams in the world [in the qualifiers], to get here.”
The South Americans lead Group F with four points, defending champions Italy and pre-finals no-hopers New Zealand have two each and Slovakia one with all four capable of making the second round.
Outsiders
Having suffered three heavy losses in a previous appearance 28 years ago, the Kiwis mocked predictions that they would suffer a similar fate in South Africa by holding Slovakia and Italy to 1-1 draws.
Victory over Paraguay would guarantee a last-16 place and a draw might suffice depending what happens between Italy and Slovakia at the same time in Johannesburg.
New Zealand is a rugby union-obsessed country with its All Blacks national team consistently among the best in the world although they have won the Rugby World Cup just once in six attempts.
The ‘All Whites’ are part of Oceania, a football region not considered strong enough for automatic World Cup entry so the Kiwis defeated Bahrain in a play-off to reach South Africa.
A stoppage-time goal from defender Winston Reid salvaged a draw against the Slovaks and the expected hiding from four-time world champions Italy did not materialise with Shane Smeltz giving the no-hopers an early lead.
Italy levelled from a penalty and dominated the second half only to be repeatedly repulsed by heroic defending in which Wellington-based goalkeeper Mark Paston played a pivotal role.
‘Anything is possible’
Paston is not even the first-choice goalkeeper, but will start against Paraguay even though Glen Moss from Australian club Melbourne Victory has completed a four-match suspension.
“Anything is possible and we are doing okay for a team who some said should not be playing at the World Cup,” said coach and former World Cup defender Ricki Herbert.
He was part of the team beaten 5-2 by Scotland, 3-0 by the Soviet Union and 4-0 by Brazil in Spain three decades ago and says the Kiwi class of 2010 is in a different league.
“We are always daring to dream. At the World Cup anything is possible — we have seen some strange results — but nothing as big as that one [holding Italy].”
Impressive South American qualifiers Paraguay are also on a roll having led Italy in a 1-1 Cape Town draw before systematically taking Slovakia apart in a 2-0 Bloemfontein win that could have been bigger.
The South Americans are dedicating their World Cup challenge to striker Salvador Cabanas, who is recovering after being shot in the head in a Mexico City bar last January. — AFP