On paper it’s the most lop-sided of all the quarterfinals, though of course, the World Cup isn’t won on paper; it’s won on the field. European champions Spain will start favourites when they line up against Paraguay at Ellis Park here on Saturday, and will look to enter their first World Cup semifinal in 60 years.
After a shock loss to Switzerland in the opener, La Furia Roja have been carried by the timely goals of David Villa — who is the joint top-scorer at the event with four goals.
Operating on the left flank, Villa has been in sensational touch scoring goals of sublime beauty and great opportunism. FC Barcelona’s latest signing is also within sight of Raul’s Spanish goal-scoring record and now has 42 goals, just two shy of the Real Madrid star.
However, the form of strike partner Fernando Torres has been a major letdown. However, the 26-year-old is a man for the big occasion and scored the winner in the 2008 European Championships final against Germany after a similarly anonymous show for most of the tournament.
In the middle of the park the Real Madrid-Barcelona combination of Xabi Alonso and Xavi Hernandez have helped Spain control the tempo in all matches and their quick short-passing and deadly accurate long-passing has been incisive in keeping a hold on the ball and prising open the tightest of defences.
The diminutive Andres Iniesta has been lively and can run at defenders with pace and great ball control.
The central defensive pairing of Carles Puyol and Gerard Pique, have been rock solid and have made goalkeeper Iker Casillas’ job a lot easier. However, the key player could be right-back Sergio Ramos. The Real Madrid defender has been a constant threat down the opposition’s left flank.
Paraguay progressed as winners of their Group but scraped through in the pre-quarterfinal against Japan thanks to penalty kicks. More worryingly for coach Gerrardo Martino was the ineptitude of his three-pronged attack against the compact Japanese backline.