Paraguay set sights on top spot
Reuters - Sunday 20 June 2010, 16:13
BLOEMFONTEIN - Paraguay will not settle
for less than topping Group F ahead of world champions Italy
following their victory over Slovakia on Sunday, striker Roque
Santa Cruz said.
Paraguay drew with Italy in their opening World Cup match
and now sit on top of the group with four points, with world
champions on two points after a surprise 1-1 draw with New
Zealand on Sunday.
Paraguay's final match is against New Zealand on June 24
while Italy will take on Slovakia.
"It is not only about qualifying. We want to finish first.
We've been given a realistic chance now to go into the last game
and win the group," Santa Cruz told reporters after the match.
"Paraguay have never been to the quarter-finals in their
history. We know the goal we have set for ourselves but once we
get there we want to keep getting better."
The winners of Group F will meet the runners-up of Group E
in the last 16, while the second-placed team will meet the Group
E winners. The Netherlands currently top Group E.
"Of course you think about possibilities. We know that once
we qualify we could play against Holland," Santa Cruz said.
"The main thing is to qualify, now we have the chance in the
last game to think we can finish first in the group."
Follow FFT.com on Twitter
Join FFT.com on Facebook