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.