Paraguay can continue their excellent World Cup form against Japan

Paraguay have played very well at the 2010 World Cup in their three matches so far, beating Slovakia and drawing with both Italy and New Zealand.

They can be backed at 11/10 (Bet365) to beat Japan on Tuesday and qualify for the quarter-finals and they should be good enough to do so.

Japan, who are 3/1 (WilliamHill) to win on Tuesday, beat Cameroon without playing particularly well and then lost to the Netherlands. They were much better against Denmark, but their victory owed a lot to poor finishing from the Danes, with Jon Dahl Tomasson in particular very wasteful in-front of goal.

Oscar Cardozo (7/1, ExtraBet) is regaining fitness and if he starts alongside Lucas Barrios (6/1, SkyBet) in attack then Paraguay are capable of scoring goals. The Benfica striker scored 38 goals last season and 12/5 (ExtraBet) that Cardozo gets on the score-sheet against Japan is a very good price, particularly as he is likely to be in charge of Paraguay’s set-pieces.

Of the six games involving Paraguay and Japan in South Africa, there have only been 10 goals scored, with five of the six going under the 2.5 goals mark. It is 4/7 with Stan James that there are two goals or less when the sides meet in Pretoria.

It is 21/10 with SkyBet that Paraguay beat Japan without conceding and a one-nil (11/2, VictorChandler) win for the South Americans is perhaps the most likely final score.

Recommendations

Win Market – Paraguay (11/10, Bet365)
Anytime Goalscorer – Oscar Cardozo (11/5, ExtraBet)