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Spain win 3-1 over Paraguay to reach second round
Spain first team to clinch a place in the World Cup's second round with a 3-1 win over Paraguay.
- Indo-Asian News Service
- Updated: February 25, 2007 08:27 AM IST
Read Time:2 min
Jeonju, South Korea:
Fernando Morientes scored two second-half goals to rally Spain to a 3-1 win over Paraguay, making it the first team to clinch a place in the World Cup's second round. Spain, which opened with a 3-1 victory over Slovenia, now has six points atop Group B. Morientes, a second-half substitute, scored his first goal on a jumping header off a corner kick in the 53rd minute that drew Spain even after an early own goal gave Paraguay the lead. In the 69th, Paraguay goalkeeper Jose Luis Chilavert came out to break up a Javi De Pedro cross, but could not reach the pass and the Real Madrid striker knocked in the game-winner. Spanish skipper Fernando Hierro made it 3-1 on a penalty kick in the 83rd after Raul Gonzalez was wrestled down in the area. In the 10th minute, Paraguay defender Francisco Arce's hard blast off a free kick by Chilavert went directly at the Spanish goal. Spanish 'keeper Iker Casillas did well to block the shot, but his deflection rebounded off one of his defenders, Carles Puyol, and went straight for the net. Team captain Chilavert, who missed Paraguay's opening match through suspension, returned to Paraguay's goal and made his presence felt by his domineering play, putting a free kick on the Spanish goal late in the second half. Paraguay players wore peach-colored jerseys for the first time against the red-clad Spanish side. At the last World Cup, Spain and Paraguay played to a 0-0 draw in the first round. Friday's match was played under clear skies before a crowd of 41,428 at Jeonju World Cup Stadium in the southwestern portion of the Korean peninsula. The other two teams in Group B, South Africa and Slovenia, play Saturday. In the final first-round matches, Spain meets South Africa and Slovenia plays Paraguay Wednesday. Lineups: Spain: 1-Iker Casillas (GK), 3-Juanfran Garcia, 20-Miguel Angel Nadal, 6-Fernando Hierro (C), 5-Carles Puyol, 11-Javi de Pedro, 8-Ruben Baraja, 17-Juan Carlos Valeron (19-Xavi Hernandez, 85), 21-Luis Enrique Martinez (4-Ivan Helguera, 46), 7-Raul Gonzalez, 10-Diego Tristan (9-Fernando Morientes, 46). Paragauay:1-Jose Luis Chilavert (GK,C), 5-Celso Ayala, 4-Carlos Gamarra, 2-Francisco Arce, 18- Julio Caceres, 21-Denis Caniza (6-Estanislao Struway, 78), 13-Carlos Paredes, 10-Roberto Acuna, 14-Diego Gavilan, 9-Roque Santa Cruz, 20-Jose Cardozo (11-Jorge Campos, 63). Referee:Gamal Ghandour (Egypt).(AP)
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