Saturday’s World Cup quarterfinal matches
QUARTERFINALS: ARGENTINA VS. GERMANY
Where: Cape Town. Time: 7 a.m. PDT.
TV: ABC, ESPN Deportes, Univision. Radio: Sirius/XM, KLYY-FM 97.5, KDLD-FM/KDLE-FM 103.1, KSPN-AM 710.
The buzz: There is no love lost between these longtime rivals. In the 2006 World Cup quarterfinals, after Germany beat Argentina on penalty kicks, the teams brawled on the pitch. Argentina comes into this one with the better record at this World Cup, having won all four of its matches by a combined score of 10-2. Gonzalo Higuain has four goals and Carlos Tevez two for the Albiceleste, who are still waiting for the first goal from superstar forward Lionel Messi. Germany, meanwhile, has scored four goals twice in the tournament but also lost, 1-0, to Serbia. Bayern Munich teammates Bastian Schweinsteiger and Thomas Muller lead the German attack, with Muller having scored a team-high three times. Young goalkeeper Manuel Neuer will be the last line of defense against Messi and Co., who lead the World Cup in goals and shots on goal (nine per match).
QUARTERFINALS: PARAGUAY VS. SPAIN
Where: Johannesburg. Time: 11:30 a.m. PDT.
TV: ABC, ESPN Deportes, Univision. Radio: Sirius/XM, KLYY-FM 97.5, KDLD-FM/KDLE-FM 103.1, KSPN-AM 710.
The buzz: Spain, the reigning European champion, has never won a World Cup or made it past the quarterfinals in the tournament’s modern era. And Spain certainly has an offense for the ages led by David Villa, who has four goals in the tournament. His talented cast includes midfielders Xavi, Andres Iniesta and Xabi Alonso and striker Fernando Torres. But in this tournament Spain’s forte has been passing more than scoring, so it will be up to defensive-minded Paraguay to block those lanes to try to limit Spain’s ball movement. If Paraguay can’t keep the score down, it doesn’t have a chance. The South Americans, who won their group despite winning just one game, haven’t scored in more than 214 minutes, playing New Zealand to a scoreless tie in the final game in group play, then battling Japan through 120 shutout minutes in the elimination stage before winning on penalty kicks. But Paraguay hasn’t given up a goal since Italy scored early in the second half of its tournament opener, and keeper Justo Villar has rarely even been tested.
— Kevin Baxter
