Paraguay progressed to the quarter finals of the World Cup after Oscar Cardozo coolly tucked away a winning penalty against Japan. With the scoreline in the shootout at 3-2, Japan’s Yuichi Komano had smacked his spot-kick against the crossbar.

The shootout was the only way to separate two sides who had been locked in the tightest of stalemates for 120 minutes. Neither had dazzled in the period of open play that preceded the penalties and it had been difficult to predict a winner throughout.   

The first half set the tone for the rest of the match as two sides looking to go further than they had done before cancelled each other out in every area of the park. In the opening 45 minutes, despite both sides giving plenty of effort, they could only conjure up one chance each.

Japan goalkeeper Eiji Kawashima kept his side’s hopes alive when he blocked a goalbound shot by Lucas Barrios in the 20th minute. Just two minutes later, the action was at the other end of the field as a blistering shot from Daisuke Matsui clipped the crossbar.

There was little else to rouse the fans during the first half as a midfield battle ensued. The star players on each side, Paraguay’s Roque Santa Cruz and Japan’s Keisuke Honda, both had left-footed shots as the half drew to a close but neither looked like giving their side a precious lead.

Both sides looked more positive for spells in the second half but there was a distinct lack of goalmouth action and if the referee had gone straight to penalties after the second 45 ended level there would have been few complaining.

Extra time did not produce a winner, with both sides looking more wary of losing with all at stake than going for the killer goal.

In the first penalty shoot-out of this years tournament, Paraguay won the toss and went first and the seemingly effortless manner in which the South Americans dealt with the responsibility added to the pressure on Japan. Komano was the only one to crack and by that fine margin of error his side were out and Paraguay made history.