北京時間6月30日凌晨，在南非世界杯八分之一決賽的最后一場比賽中，西班牙隊憑借頭號射手比利亞的“一劍封喉”，以1比0擊敗葡萄牙隊進入八強。在之前巴拉圭對日本隊的比賽中，兩隊在常規的90分鐘以及30分鐘加時賽中均無進球，隨后迎來本屆世界杯的首次點球大戰，結果巴拉圭隊五罰全中，最終5比3挺進八強。由此，本屆世界杯的八強球隊全部產生，分別為烏拉圭隊、加納隊、德國隊、阿根廷隊、荷蘭隊、巴西隊、巴拉圭隊和西班牙隊，世界杯歷史上首次出現四支南美球隊同時晉級八強的場面。在即將到來的1/4決賽中，八強的對陣形勢是：荷蘭VS巴西、烏拉圭VS加納、德國VS阿根廷、巴拉圭VS西班牙。其中，荷蘭VS巴西、德國VS阿根廷這樣的強強碰撞絕對是非常值得期待的表演。

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.

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(Agencies)

（中國日報網英語點津 Helen 編輯）