Paraguay 0 - 1 Spain: Iniesta predicts 'beautiful battle' in semis

Iniesta was voted the man of the match as Spain overcame Paraguay 1-0 at Ellis Park Stadium on Saturday night thanks to a late goal from David Villa.

Now they will face the on-song Germans who followed up their 4-1 thrashing of England by routing Argentina 4-0 in the quarter-finals.

Barcelona midfielder Iniesta said: "It's the same as the Euro final. We will be playing Germany again. But I think it has nothing to do with what happened two years ago. That will have no part to play when we meet.

"Germany have played a brilliant World Cup so far and they have brought in a lot of young players who were not there in 2008. They must be tremendously motivated but we are also at the top of our game and keen to progress further. I am sure it will be a match between two sides who enjoy having the ball and it's going to be a beautiful battle.

"We have been following Germany's progress throughout the World Cup and they have done spectacularly well."

Iniesta is proud to be part of the first Spain side to reach the semi-finals of football's biggest tournament.

But he was full of praise for Paraguay who held out until seven minutes from time in a match where both sides had a penalty saved.

He said: "We knew it was going to be difficult as throughout the World Cup Paraguay had made life difficult for all their rivals. They gave it everything but we are very proud, very happy to be among the four best teams in the world.

"The team is doing very well. It's a fantastic feeling but the job is not finished yet. We are all pleased to have got so far but we will now start focusing on the match with Germany."

Iniesta is adamant that a collective spirit is a major reason for Spain's success. "I was voted man of match, which makes me very happy, but without my team-mates I would not get these awards," said Iniesta.

"It is the same with David Villa.He has scored five goals so far but he would say without his team-mates he wouldn't score goals.

"The strength of the team is us playing together and fighting together."

While Villa again grabbed the headlines, goalkeeper and skipper Iker Casillas made an equally telling contribution.

The Real Madrid player denied Oscar Cardozo from the penalty spot - with a little help from Spain No 2 Pepe Reina - and produced a couple of fine reflex saves.

He said: "The penalty was a pivotal moment and I was fortunate enough to save it.

"To tell the truth I dived that way because I'd been chatting about it with Pepe Reina before the game.

"He said that Cardozo usually hit the ball hard and to his right-hand side. So, it came down to a mix of intuition, good luck and a team-mate's help."

But Liverpool player Reina claimed: "Iker deserves all the credit because he's the one who saved it.

"I don't know if I helped or just confused him. I just mentioned it because that's how Cardozo took a penalty against me for Benfica in a (Europa League) game."

Centre-back Carlos Marchena added: "We've got total faith in him as a keeper because he's very good, and today he proved that emphatically.

Villa said: "Iker, as always, was faultless. We know just how many times he's come to our rescue and how many times he'll do so in the future."

Villa himself enhanced his reputation as the World Cup's outstanding striker with his late winner. Iniesta carved out an opening for Pedro, who hit the post with his new Barcelona team-mate producing the perfect follow up, although the ball hit both posts before finding the net.

Until then, Paraguay coach Gerardo Martino, who made no fewer than six changes from the side that scraped past Japan on penalties, had got his tactics just right and his side could have gone ahead in the very first minute. The Spanish defence was split open by Cardozo who found Jonathan Santana on the edge of the box but his shot was tame and Casillas was not troubled.

Cristian Riveros headed over as Paraguay continued their refusal to be overawed and Spain failed to bring a single save out of Justo Villar in the first 45 minutes. Villa, who had looked the liveliest of the off-colour Spaniards, dragged a chance wide before Paraguay were controversially denied the lead.

Nelson Valdez brought down the ball and finished expertly but was flagged offside - replays showed he was just on - and he put his next chance high and wide after turning Carles Puyol inside and out at pace.

After 10 minutes of the second-half Cesc Fabregas was sent on for Torres and suddenly a drab game exploded into life.

Paraguay were awarded a penalty after Gerard Pique hauled down Cardozo. The Benfica forward dusted himself down and stepped up but Casillas put Reina's pre-match advice to good use.

Almost immediately referee Carlos Batres from Guatemala awarded a spot-kick at the other end after Villa was felled by Antolin Alcaraz.Xabi Alonso put it away only to be made to re-take it due to encroachment and this time Justo Villar came up trumps - and he then got away with clipping Fabregas who reached the loose ball first.

Iniesta, who had been much subdued, suddenly woke up and brought a terrific save out of Villar with a curling effort, then lofted another effort high over the bar. Fabregas' hustling saw Xavi presented with a shooting chance and he hit it almost too well as it whistled past the post.

It was left to Villa to edge victory with his 43rd goal for his country, but Casillas ran him close as Spain's hero with a double save in the dying seconds to keep out Lucas Barrios and Roque Santa Cruz as Spain created their own small slice of history.

Paraguay: Villar, Veron, Morel, Cardozo, Barreto (Vera, 64), Alcaraz, Santana, Da Silva, Caceres (Barrios, 84), Riveros, Valdez (Santa Cruz, 72).

Spain: Casillas, Ramos, Capdevila, Puyol (Marchena, 84), Pique, Busquets, Alonso (Rodriguez, 75), Hernandez, Iniesta, Villa, Torres (Fabregas, 56).

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