Spain advance after win over Portugal

David Villa fired European champions Spain into the World Cup quarter-finals with a 1-0 victory over Iberian neighbours Portugal in Cape Town.

Barcelona's new signing scored broke the deadlock just after the hour mark to end Spain's frustration against a defensively-minded and unambitious Portuguese side, who ended the game with 10 men following the late dismissal of Ricardo Costa.

The pre-tournament favourites will now meet Paraguay, who beat Japan on penalties in the day's early kick-off, in the last eight on Saturday.

Considering the wildly differing approaches to the game, victory was nothing less than the forward-thinking Spanish deserved, even though Portugal had several opportunities on the break to find the back of the net.

Vicente Del Bosque's side roared out of the blocks and forged three good opportunities within the first seven minutes of play, although none were taken.

Fernando Torres, yet to get off the mark at this tournament, sounded Spanish intent with not even a minute on the clock, his crisp strike stinging the fingers of Eduardo.

The keeper was again brought into action two minutes later as David Villa let off a strike on goal before the new Barcelona striker cut inside and let fly with another effort that Eduaro was forced to deal with.

Xavi nearly caught out the Portuguese number one on 12 minutes with a smart first-time effort that looped just over the bar, but Carlos Queiroz's back line stood firm in the face of the early pressure.

And having survived the initial onslaught, Portugal soon settled into their game, which consisted of sitting 10 men behind the ball and waiting to hit on the break.

That gameplan nearly paid off when Tiago fired a 20th-minute shot on the break which Iker Casillas could only parry into the air. Hugo Almeida tried to get to the loose ball but the Spaniard recovered in time to clear to safety.

Real Madrid keeper Casilllas again looked shaky on 28 minutes when he fumbled club-mate Ronaldo's viciously swerving free-kick, and the World Player of the Year was then frustrated when Almeida went for a header, which he put wide, when he was waiting to pounce just behind.

Ronaldo was to do little else for the remainder of the game, and he joins the likes of Wayne Rooney as one of the biggest disappointments of the tournament.

That said, with the score goalless at the break, Queiroz must have been the happier of the two coaches as, after that early salvo, the Spanish had been largely frustrated.

The ineffectual Torres was replaced by Fernando Llorente on 59 minutes and the change appeared to give the Spanish renewed vigour.

The Athletic Bilbao striker nearly opened the scoring with a diving header with virtually his first touch before Villa flashed a shot inches wide of the post just seconds later.

Buoyed from those two chances, Spain finally broke the deadlock in the 63rd minute following a lovely crisp passing move involving Andres Iniesta and Xavi Hernandez before Villa applied the finishing touch at the second attempt, having seen his first stab at goal repelled by Eduardo.

Sergio Ramos was denied a second on 70 minutes by a wonderful stop by Eduardo before Llorente saw a fierce drive saved by the keeper and then glanced a header go wide as full-time approached.

Despite a late bid to find an equaliser, Portugal's involvement at the World Cup ended on a sour note as the game became a little fractious and Costa was dismissed following an off-the-ball clash with Joan Capdevila.

Match stats

Spain v Portugal

Goals 1-0

1st Half Goals 0-0

Shots on Target 8-3

Shots off Target 5-4

Blocked Shots 5-2

Corners 6-3

Fouls 13-18

Offsides 0-3

Yellow Cards 1-1

Red Cards 0-1

Passing Success 89.5%-75.6%

Tackles 16-28

Tackles Success 62.5%-89.3%

Possession 64.5 %-35.5%

Territorial Advantage 56.1%-43.9%

Paraguay beat Japan in shoot-out

Paraguay booked a place in the World Cup quarter-finals with a 5-3 penalty shoot-out victory over Japan following 120 minutes of dour football in Pretoria.

With the match at the Loftus Versfeld Stadium failing to provide any goals - or much entertainment - during normal or extra-time, a shoot-out was needed for the first time at these finals.

Oscar Cardozo was the hero, coolly slotting home his side's fifth penalty after full-back Yuichi Komano had hit the cross bar with Japan's third kick.

Edgar Baretto, Lucas Barrios, Cristian Riveros and Nelson Haedo Valdez all kept their cool for Paraguay, while Yasuhito Endo, captain Makoto Hasebe and Keisuke Honda were on target for Japan.

As ever, it was a cruel way to decide a game, especially one with so much resting on it, but considering the match was so riddled with tension and so sorely lacked any kind of penetrating attacking play, such an outcome was almost inevitable.

Coach Takeshi Okada opted to send out the same team he has done in all three of Japan's previous outings this tournament, while his counterpart Gerardo Martino made three changes, dropping Valdez and Denis Caniza and bringing in Benitez and Nestor Ortigoza. New Wigan signing Antolin Alcaraz came in for the suspended Julio Cesar Caceres.

From the kick-off, the anxiety was apparent in both teams, perhaps understandably considering the magnitude of the clash for each nation.

Japan were content to sit back and look to hit on the break but Paraguay, while they enjoyed more possession, lacked the nous to break down an organised defence.

Moments of true class were few and far between, although two chances in the space of a minute midway through the first half stood out from an otherwise dull opening period.

A beautiful turn from Lucas Barrios on 21 minutes forged a shooting opportunity for the Paraguay striker, but he was denied by the legs of Eiji Kawashima.

And just seconds later, Daisuke Matsui sent a dipping shot from outside the penalty area which struck the cross bar with keeper Justo Villar struggling to get anywhere near it.

Two further chances went begging when Manchester City striker Roque Santa Cruz dragged wide of the mark after a corner fell kindly at his feet in the box and Japan dangerman Keisuke Honda sliced a shot off target as the half drew to a close, but otherwise there was little to shout about.

It seemed almost impossible, but as a spectacle the game deteriorated even further after the break as both teams' fear of losing got the better of their desire to win the game in regulation time.

With neither side willing to take much of a risk, goalscoring chances were few and far between; Yuto Nagamoto's deflected effort on 53 minutes represented Japan's best effort during the second half - it was easily saved by Villar - while Paraguay's Riveros registered a header on target six minutes later which was straight at Kawashima.

Barrios mirrored Riveros with a firm header on target in extra-time, but the outcome was similar - straight at the keeper. Kawashima was then brought into action by Valdez, the substitute striker turning his man brilliantly before seeing his shot snuffled out, as the game briefly threatened to spark into life.

But aside from a Honda free-kick that was tipped round for post, neither side were capable of conjuring up a way through, leading to the inevitable lottery of the dreaded shoot-out.

Match stats:

Paraguay v Japan

Goals 0-0

1st Half Goals 0-0

Shots on Target 6-2

Shots off Target 5-10

Blocked Shots 4-1

Corners 6-5

Fouls 26-29

Offsides 1-1

Yellow Cards 1-4

Red Cards 0-0

Passing Success 75.8%-65.9%

Tackles 28-24

Tackles Success 57.1%-70.8%

Possession 60.7%-39.3%

Territorial Advantage 51.7%-48.3%