 Manchester United's Quinton Fortune scored a stoppage-time penalty to earn
South Africa a point against Paraguay in the Asiad Stadium.
Roque Santa Cruz and Francisco Arce had put Paraguay 2-0 up after 55 minutes
before Estanislao Struway scored an own goal and then as the stadium clock
showed 90 minutes had elapsed, Fortune converted his penalty.
Both countries had controversially changed coaches in the months leading up to
the World Cup, with former Italy boss Cesare Maldini taking over at Paraguay and
Jomo Sono being appointed South Africa manager.
Santa Cruz caused South Africa problems from the first whistle of the Group B
game and he might have had a penalty in the opening seconds when he went down
under a challenge from goalkeeper Andre Arendse.
After surviving this scare, South Africa managed the first shot in anger when
MacBeth Sibaya fired narrowly wide from all of 35 yards.
But it was Arendse who was the busier of the two keepers and he did well to
touch Arce's dipping 25-yard free-kick over his crossbar.
Arce's right foot was a potent weapon for Paraguay and one corner caused
mayhem in the six-yard area before the ball somehow finished up in Arendse's
hands.
Santa Cruz managed his first effort on target with a strong header which was
parried by Arendse.
It came as little surprise that when Paraguay opened the scoring on 39 minutes
it was down to a combination of Santa Cruz and Arce.
Arce hit a deep free-kick to the back post, which beat Arendse, and Santa Cruz
came steaming into the six-yard box to beat team-mate Celso Ayala to the header
and score his tenth goal on his 24th international appearance.
Santa Cruz might have had a second three minutes later only for Arendse to
touch his powerful header over the top.
South Africa came close to equalising within 40 seconds of the start of the
second half. Fortune knocked on MacDonald Mukasi's cross to Sibusiso Zuma whose
bicycle kick was saved by Ricardo Tavarelli, deputising for the suspended Jose
Luis Chilavert, at the second attempt.
Paraguay captain Carlos Gamarra then fired just wide before South Africa felt
they should have had a penalty for handball against Arce.
Their sense of injustice was heightened when on 55 minutes Arce scored with a
perfectly-executed free-kick from the left-hand side of the area, which would
have done David Beckham proud.
To their credit South Africa battled back and their pressure was rewarded on
63 minutes when Teboho Mokoena's shot from inside the D was deflected home off
the unfortunate Struway.
They completed their comeback when in the final seconds Tavarelli was adjudged
to have brought down Zuma in the area and in the first minute of stoppage time
Fortune fired home the spot-kick.
Paraguay
Tavarelli, Arce, Gamarra, Ayala, Caceres, Caniza, Alvarenga (Gavilan 66), Acuna, Campos (Morinigo 72), Struway (Franco 86), Santa Cruz.
Goals: Santa Cruz 39, Arce 55.
South Africa
Arendse, Nzama, Carnell, Aaron Mokoena, Radebe, Fortune, Sibaya, Tebeho Mokoena, Zuma, Issa (Mukasi 27), McCarthy (Koumantarakis 78).
Goals: Struway 64 og, Fortune 90 pen.
Att: 25,186 |
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