世界杯八强产生期待好戏上演-英语点津

北京时间6月30日凌晨，在南非世界杯八分之一决赛的最后一场比赛中，西班牙队凭借头号射手比利亚的“一剑封喉”，以1比0击败葡萄牙队进入八强。在之前巴拉圭对日本队的比赛中，两队在常规的90分钟以及30分钟加时赛中均无进球，随后迎来本届世界杯的首次点球大战，结果巴拉圭队五罚全中，最终5比3挺进八强。由此，本届世界杯的八强球队全部产生，分别为乌拉圭队、加纳队、德国队、阿根廷队、荷兰队、巴西队、巴拉圭队和西班牙队，世界杯历史上首次出现四支南美球队同时晋级八强的场面。在即将到来的1/4决赛中，八强的对阵形势是：荷兰VS巴西、乌拉圭VS加纳、德国VS阿根廷、巴拉圭VS西班牙。其中，荷兰VS巴西、德国VS阿根廷这样的强强碰撞绝对是非常值得期待的表演。

世界杯八强产生期待好戏上演

Spain's Carles Puyol and Fernando Llorente (19) celebrate their victory over Portugal after their 2010 World Cup second round soccer match at Green Point stadium in Cape Town June 29, 2010. [Agencies]

Spain and Paraguay squeezed into the World Cup quarter-finals on Tuesday while FIFA boss Sepp Blatter apologised for two colossal refereeing blunders that have created the tournament's biggest controversy.

With the last 16 round over, the World Cup now takes a break until Friday when two of the world's most talented sides, Netherlands and Brazil, kick off the first quarter-final.

Pre-tournament favourites Spain beat Iberian rivals Portugal 1-0 in Cape Town thanks to a goal from in-form striker David Villa, who became the tournament's joint top scorer with four.

After a back-heel from Xavi into the box, Villa saw his first effort blocked by goalkeeper Eduardo but managed to put the rebound into the net off the crossbar in the 63rd minute.

Though failing to score more, Spain looked classy and kept the world's most expensive player, Cristiano Ronaldo, largely at bay apart from one swerving free kick.

"We're working well, we want to create a bit of history," said coach Vicente del Bosque, who hopes to bring the trophy back to Spain for the first time.

FIRST PENALTY SHOOTOUT

In Tuesday's first game in Pretoria, Paraguay beat Japan 5-3 on penalties after a tedious goalless draw, reaching the quarter-finals for the first time in their history and ending Asian interest in the tournament.

In the first shootout of the tournament -- an agonising way to end games, hated by players and coaches -- Japan's Yuichi Komano hit the crossbar with the third kick, while Paraguay's players kept their cool to slot five home confidently.

"It's never nice for a match to be decided in this way," said Paraguay's coach Gerardo Martino, who wept uncontrollably in his dugout after striker Oscar Cardozo netted the winner.

Paraguay's win makes it the first time four South American teams have reached the World Cup quarter-finals.

The quarter-final matches now line up as follows: Netherlands v Brazil and Uruguay v Ghana on Friday, then Argentina v Germany and Paraguay v Spain on Saturday.