2010 World Cup: Paraguay v New Zealand half time report
Paraguay 0 New Zealand 0
Paraguay and New Zealand are goalless at the end of the first half at the Peter Mokoba Stadium in Polokwane.
Shots on target were at a premium, with Paraguay coming close to scoring.
New Zealand striker Shane Smeltz bustled his way through the Paraguayan defence early on, but fired his shot over the bar for the first real chance of the game.
Chris Killen almost grabbed a goal for the Kiwis, but didn’t do anything as he nearly got onto the end of a deep free kick.
On 16 minutes, Paraguay sprang to life. Nelson Valdez picked the ball up on the halfway line and quickly ran with the ball down the left, but his cross couldn’t pick out Óscar Cardozo in the box.
The table toppers were slowly beginning to come into the game. Neat play by Manchester City’s Roque Santa Cruz resulted in a left-footed volley by the captain Claudio Morel Rodríguez.
The Paraguayan skipper was showing solidarity, as again on 19 minutes his best effort sailed just over the bar from long range.
Once again Rodríguez had another shot from an even longer range, with the ball dipping in the last second but not enough to trouble New Zealand keeper Mark Paston.
Shots kept on coming, mainly off target, with Valdez testing Paston from long range.
As it stands with Italy losing to Slovakia in the other group game in Johannesburg, Paraguay will top the group, with Slovakia in second.
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