Paraguay 0-0 Japan (5-3 after penalties)....Well footballs answer to Russian roulette, the penalty shoot out, and the cruellest finale to Japan ?s campaign ,5 shots at goal from a white penalty spot 12 yards away, if still dead locked after, it?s sudden death ..

Pretty straight forward you would think, in reality the penalty shoot out is by far the most stressful activity a footballer can be asked to endure, arising from the personal capability of individual responsibility combined with the knowledge that failure will cost their team and country dearly.

Yesterdays penalty shoot out with Paraguay was no exception, incredibly exciting, tension ratcheted to the max, it all seems rather unfair, quite often the least deserving team will feel under less pressure and thus perform better in the shootout, so penalties have much more to do with state of mind rather than talent or ability, if you are of a nervous disposition you are much more likely to miss.

Paraguay scored all five of their penalties and Japan will agonise after watching Yuichi Komano's spot-kick rattling the woodwork. Both Paraguay and Japan were bidding to reach their first quarter-finals..... My Heart goes out to Komano whose miss proved decisive; he will probably remember this for some considerable time.

So Friday July 2nd, Quarter finals Netherlands v Brazil and Uruguay v Ghana, then Saturday 3rd July Argentina v Germany and Paraguay v Spain.....It would be a fairy tale ending for Germany to go all the way and lift the trophy... however to beat Argentina will require more than a leap of faith, Argentina are beginning to look more like World Champions as they?ve progressed through the group stages ..

Holding the 2010 World Cup finals in South Africa has been a god send to UK footy fans... I can watch the matches after college, I don?t think I could position the matchsticks under my eye lids at 04:00 am and be on planet earth mentally for college at 08: 00, kudos to a_kikoo..