Group F: Paraguay successful stories

Before the tournament started is easy to see Italy escort Paraguay into the second round but the actual fact they are exhausted with ageing player to defend title. It was the first time Italy not through to round 16 since 1974.

Paraguay as the runner-up at the South American qualifying zone redeems their failure to qualify for the 2006 second round to win the group. At the same time as Slovakia a new country separated from chezchoslovakia build of its own success when through to second round for the first time by beating former world champion 3-2 in the final match.

De Rossi rescue Azzurri to draw

An ageing holder Italy luckily draws with Paraguay in Group F on a rainy evening at Green Point Stadium in Cape Town.

Antolin Alcaraz shocked the Gemany 2006 champions in the 39th minute to open the scoring, while Italy’s Daniel De Rossi took advantage of some unconvincing goalkeeping by veteran Justo Villar to equalise just after the hour mark.

The South Americans did enough for a tie. Defender Antolin Alcaraz scored on a header in the 39th minute. Paraguay advantages end when Italy midfielder Daniele De Rossi equalized from close range in the 63rd after a miscue by goalkeeper Justo Villar.

There were relatively few fans from Italy and Paraguay among the near-capacity crowd of 62,869 at Green Point Stadium, although the usual buzz of vuvuzelas made it difficult to determine exactly who was rooting for whom.

Reid raid Slovakia net

New Zealand defender Winston Reid headed an equalizer in the dying seconds to earn a 1-1 draw with Slovakia and secure his country’s first ever World Cup point in their Group F opener on Tuesday.

It was also New Zealand's first goal in the finals for 28 years and sparked wild celebrations among the All Whites supporters inside the Royal Bafokeng stadium.

Slovakia get their goal when Vladimir Weiss, son of the Slovakia coach, darted down the right flank before producing a low cross that Mark Paston did well to hold, before Robert Vittek cut inside before blazing a shot high and wide.

The late goal of Reid also is considered as an historic moment in New Zealand football, considering the Kiwis had lost all three of their previous group matches at their only other appearance in the finals in 1982.

Paraguay too strong for Slovakia

Paraguay claimed their first 2010 FIFA World Cup™ victory by beating Slovakia 2-0 on Sunday in Mangaung/Bloemfontein. Top of the Group F table with four points – the Paraguayans got a goal in each half at the Free State Stadium through Enrique Vera and Cristian Riveros.

Vera broke through for La Albirroja in the 27th when forward Lucas Barrios slipped a pass into the box and Vera angled it past Slovakia goalkeeper Jan Mucha with a one-time shot.Riveros added a goal in the 86th minute, a left-footed blast from the edge of the penalty area.

Playing in its first major tournament since the former Czechoslovakia divided in 1993, Slovakia looked outclassed and unsure of itself facing a big, physical Paraguayan team that beat both Argentina and Brazil in World Cup qualifying.

Kiwi shocked ageing champions

New Zealand caused South Africa 2010's biggest upset thus far by holding world champions Italy to a 1-1 draw at Nelspruit's Mbombela Stadium. In the end, only a Vincenzo Iaquinta penalty prevented Marcello Lippi's Azzurri dropping all three points as the All Whites, who took an early lead through Shane Smeltz, produced a courageous and intelligent performance to earn their second FIFA World Cup™ point.

The kiwi second point came when the ball dipped over Alberto Gilardino and Leo Bertos and wrong-footed Fabio Cannavaro, who could only divert it into the path of Smeltz. The Gold Coast forward, who has also played for Mansfield and AFC Wimbledon, gleefully accepted and poked past second-choice goalkeeper Federico Marchetti.

The desperate former champion to make their path alive gets scored equalized when Riccardo Montolivo hit the goalpost for Italy in the 27th, then Vincenzo Iaquinta two minutes later with a penalty kick. Tommy Smith was given a yellow card for tugging down Daniele De Rossi inside the area on a corner kick.

The Italians haven’t won since beating Sweden 1-0 in a friendly in November, a streak of five games that includes four draws and a 2-1 loss to Mexico in a World Cup warmup.

Slovakia advance, Italy eliminate

Slovakia survived a late onslaught to beat Italy 3-2, reach the Round of 16 and eliminate their illustrious opponents. A Robert Vittek double and a stoppage-time lob from substitute Kamil Kopunek proved enough for Vladimir Weiss's team to advance as Group F runners-up, after late goals from Antonio Di Natale and Fabio Quagliarella had ensured a dramatic conclusion to a thrilling contest in Johannesburg.

Slovakia victory begin in 25th minute when Daniele De Rossi's stray pass was picked up by Juraj Kucka and he rolled a pass forward to Vittek who directed a low right-foot shot past Italy goalkeeper Federico Marchetti from the edge of the box.

Vittek doubled the lead from close range in the 73rd following a corner kick. Italy pulled one back with nine minutes to go after a clever one-two with Iaquinta played Quagliarella in and when Mucha parried his shot, Di Natale was on hand to prod the ball in.

Slovakia secured to round 16 when substitute Kamil Kopunek made it 3-1 before Quagliarella's brilliant lob gave Italy fleeting hope, but they could not find a third to save their skins as they joined fellow 2006 finalists France in sinking out of the tournament at the first hurdle.

It was Italy’s first loss at the World Cup since allowing a golden goal to South Korea in the second round in 2002. And it marked the end of an era for Italy captain Fabio Cannavaro and Gattuso, who already announced their retirement from the national team after the tournament. Lippi is also moving on, with Cesare Prandelli already chosen as his successor.

Draw enough for Paraguay to be top of the group

Paraguay did what they had to do to top Group F with a scoreless draw with New Zealand in Polokwane on Thursday. The South Americans finished with five points, one ahead of Slovakia, who knocked out holders Italy in the group's other match, while the All Whites go out unbeaten after their third consecutive draw.

It was still a historic final for the All Whites, who won their first points in the FIFA World Cup, and finished the group undefeated and in front of four-time world champions Italy.

And another resolute performance by a nation playing at only their second World Cup - the first coming in 1982 when they lost all three matches and conceded 12 goals - will have at least given the fans back home who stayed up for the 2am kick-off New Zealand time something to cheer.