Spain’s Win Speaks Volumes

Outspoken goalkeeper Jose Luis Chilavert of Paraguay had boasted all week about how he was not only going to shut out the Spanish but also score two goals against them, one on a penalty kick and the other on a free kick.

Idle boasts.

Instead, Real Madrid forward Fernando Morientes stole the show in front of 24,000 in Jeonju, South Korea, Friday, scoring two second-half goals to power Spain past Paraguay, 3-1, and into the second round.

Spain is the first team to qualify for the final 16, and will play Cameroon, Germany or Ireland for a place in the quarterfinals.

The victory was not as clear-cut as the score might suggest, however. In fact, the Spanish trailed until the second half, when Morientes was sent into the game by Coach Jose Antonio Camacho and quickly put things right with goals in the 53rd and 69th minutes, canceling Carles Puyol’s 10th-minute own goal.

Fernando Hierro put the game out of Paraguay’s reach with a penalty kick seven minutes from the end after Raul had been fouled.

“I got out there and I struck lucky,” said Morientes. “Things worked out well. The first goal was a straightforward header, but I don’t know much about the second. It hit everything, my chest, my ankle.”

Morientes could not resist a dig at Paraguay’s goalkeeper, saying, “Chilavert played a part because he came out late on both the goals.”