New Zealand v. Paraguay: Live Report

New Zealand_ paraguay_world_cup_24062010

A Paraguay supporter cheers prior to the start of the 2010 Group F World Cup football match Paraguay vs. New Zealand © AFP Juan Mabromata

A Paraguay supporter cheers prior to the start of the 2010 Group F World Cup football match Paraguay vs. New Zealand © AFP Juan Mabromata
POLOKWANE, South Africa (AFP)  –   1600 GMT: Paraguay top Group F and will be joined in the second round by runners-up Slovakia who shock Italy 3-2. New Zealand come third in Group F and unbelievably finish above World Cup holders Italy, who are last.
91+4 mins: FULL TIME! Paraguay 0 New Zealand 0
–   90 mins: A fourth goal in the other game and would you believe it,  it’s gone to Slovakia who lead Italy 3-1.
86 mins: Italy have pulled a goal back against Slovakia, who remain on course to advance from Group F with Paraguay.
81 mins: Roque Santa Cruz fires a free-kick at goal and another fine save by Mark Paston. The New Zealand keeper one of few players to come out of the game with any credit.
79 mins: Another change for New Zealand as forward Jeremy Brockie replaces Chris Killen.
–   77 mins: New Zealand look livelier since Wood came on. A goal now and they’d leapfrog Paraguay into first place.  As it stands, they are going home with Italy.
73 mins: Would you believe it!  Slovakia have gone 2-0 up against Italy. The World Cup holders are going out and Slovakia look set to join Paraguay in the last 16 unless New Zealand can find a late winner here.
–   69 mins: New Zealand make a change. Chris Wood  takes over from Rory Fallon up front as the Kiwis look to snatch a goal.
66 mins: Double substitution for Paraguay. Lucas Barrios comes on for Oscar Cardozo and Edgar Benitez replaces Nelson Valdez.
–  62 mins: At last some exciting football. Cristian Riveros of Paraguay powers a close-range header towards goal but his effort is brilliantly pushed away by New Zealand keeper Mark Paston.
60 mins: Captain Ryan Nelsen out of next game should New Zealand progress after picking up his second booking of the tournam
56 mins: YELLOW CARD! Ryan Nelsen is the third player to be booked so far in the game and first for New Zealand after hauling down Roque Santa Cruz. Oscar Cardozo fires the resulting free-kick way over the bar.
–   52 mins: No change in the tempo. This game needs a spark and fast
– 48 mins: New Zealand’s Simon Elliott fires a shot wide from the edge of the box.
–   46 mins: New Zealand start the second half. Surely the next 45 minutes can’t be as dull as the first!
– 1459 GMT: New Zealand can still dream of making it through to the last 16 but they first need to beat Paraguay. Not sure where a goal is going to come from at the moment. The Kiwis have been totally ineffective. Seems like Paraguay are playing for that draw that would ensure them  finishing top of Group F.
–   45 mins: HALF TIME! Paraguay 0 New Zealand 0
-40 mins: YELLOW CARD! Second booking of the game and again it’s gone to Paraguay —  this time to Manchester City forward Roque Santa Cruz for striking out at an opponent. It’s the first thing     he’s hit all half.
37 mins: Perhaps New Zealand could do the Haka. That would liven things up.
-34 mins: New Zealand have woken up… only just though. Tony Lochhead pings in a decent cross but in the end the ball is easily taken by the Paraguay keeper.
32 mins: I wish I was following the Italy game. Sounds far more exciting. Could Italy be joining France on the plane home?
28 mins: Denis Caniza won’t rest until he scores, so it seems! He’s just blasted another shot over.
– 25 mins: Shock in the other game. Slovakia are beating Italy and as it stands Slovakia and Paraguay are going through.
–   21 mins: Approaching mid-point in the first half and this has too be one of the most boring games of the competition so far.
-18 mins: All Paraguay and Denis Caniza at the moment but they just can’t find their shooting boots. Caniza misses the target with two further weak efforts.-14 mins: Denis Caniza volleys wide for Paraguay. Not even close! The keepers look like having an easy time of it.
10 mins: YELLOW CARD! Paraguay’s Victor Caceras booked for hacking down Rory Fallon. He’s out of the next tie should Paraguay advance.
-6 mins: Paraguay enjoying more of the ball but aren’t doing anything great with it.  But then neither are New Zealand! Are Paraguay already playing for a draw?
– 3 mins:  A slow start with both sides failing to test the opposition defence. This is going to be a nervy affair.
1 min: Paraguay kick us off.  New Zealand are no longer the ‘All Whites’ – the Kiwis wearing their black away strip while Paraguay are in their traditional red and white stripes.-1358 GMT: Paraguay make three changes while the New Zealand ‘All Whites’ keep the team that surprisingly held Italy 1-1.
1355 GMT: The teams are out.
Teams :
New Zealand
Mark Paston; Winston Reid, Ryan Nelsen (capt), Ivan Vicelich, Tommy Smith; Leo Bertos, Simon Elliott, Tony Lochhead; Rory Fallon, Chris Killen; Shane Smeltz
Coach: Ricki Herbert
Paraguay
Justo Villar (capt); Denis Caniza, Paulo Da Silva, Julio Cesar Caceres, Claudio Morel; Enrique Vera, Victor Caceres, Cristian Riveros; Roque Santa Cruz, Nelson Valdez; Oscar Cardozo
Coach: Gerardo Martino (ARG)
Referee: Yuichi Nishimura (JPN)
WELCOME TO OUR WORLD CUP LIVE TEXT COMMENTARY of the vital Group F clash between Paraguay and New Zealand at Peter Mokaba Stadium in Polokwane.
The South Americans need only a draw to make the knock-out stages, while New Zealand need a win. Can the unthinkable happen and the Kiwi minnows make it through to the next stage after already causing a major shock here by drawing with the current World Cup holders Italy in their previous group game.
All eyes will also be on the other  tie in Group F between Italy and Slovakia.

POLOKWANE, South Africa (AFP) –   1358 GMT: Paraguay make three changes while the New Zealand ‘All Whites’ keep the team that surprisingly held Italy 1-1.
1355 GMT: The teams are out.
Teams :
New Zealand
Mark Paston; Winston Reid, Ryan Nelsen (capt), Ivan Vicelich, Tommy Smith; Leo Bertos, Simon Elliott, Tony Lochhead; Rory Fallon, Chris Killen; Shane Smeltz    Coach: Ricki Herbert

Paraguay
Justo Villar (capt); Denis Caniza, Paulo Da Silva, Julio Cesar Caceres, Claudio Morel; Enrique Vera, Victor Caceres, Cristian Riveros; Roque Santa Cruz, Nelson Valdez; Oscar Cardozo    Coach: Gerardo Martino (ARG)

Referee: Yuichi Nishimura (JPN)
WELCOME TO OUR WORLD CUP LIVE TEXT COMMENTARY of the vital Group F clash between Paraguay and New Zealand at Peter Mokaba Stadium in Polokwane.
The South Americans need only a draw to make the knock-out stages, while New Zealand need a win. Can the unthinkable happen and the Kiwi minnows make it through to the next stage after already causing a major shock here by drawing with the current World Cup holders Italy in their previous group game.
All eyes will also be on the other  tie in Group F between Italy and Slovakia.

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