Santa Cruz goes down under Linke's tackle (Allsport)

By James Dart, Sportinglife.com

Final score: Germany 1 Paraguay 0

Man-of-the-match: A really tough decision as there was so little of inspiration in the game. If I have to give the award to anyone, I'll give it to Oliver Neuville, who did look lively throughout the game and thankfully settled the encounter without the need of 30 more minutes.

90 mins: It's all over and Germany are the first side to book their spot in the quarter-finals with a 1-0 win. It was a very disappointing game, but Germany were the better side over the 90 minutes. They will now meet either Mexico or the USA in the last eight.

90 mins: RED CARD ACUNA - The Paraguayan midfielder has already been booked, but he sees a straight red for an elbow in the face of Ballack, who himself is booked.

90 mins: The last throw of the dice from Paraguay coach Maldini with Cuevas coming on for Struway. Can he do anything in the three minutes of stoppage-time?

89 mins: Neuville's strike is almost as good as a golden goal as Paraguay only have a few minutes to salvage an equaliser from the game.

88 mins: GOAL NEUVILLE - Just as it looked as if we were set for extra-time, Schneider bursts down the right and his near-post cross is met by Neuville with a first-time shot that flies past the static Chilavert.

87 mins: Cardozo looks to play through Gavilan, who has fresh legs, but Baumann deals with the threat comfortably.

86 mins: The lack of atmosphere inside the stadium has not helped the game ever get out of first gear, but the players have played their part in the most boring game of the tournament so far.

85 mins: Neither side is showing any signs of invention and look to have settled for extra-time.

84 mins: Extra-time is now looking like a certainty, but perhaps it would make sense for the game to go straight to penalties!

83 mins: A substitution from Paraguay as Diego Gavilan takes the place of Bonet.

82 mins: Germany win a corner, but Neuville's deep corner is headed over by a stretching Baumann.

81 mins: As Neuville sends in the corner, Chilavert comes out to catch easily. Gamarra returns after some running repairs.

80 mins: A corner to Germany as Arce is forced to head Frings' header behind at the back post.

79 mins: Gamarra stays down after Klose's header and leaves the field temporarily to receive treatment from the Paraguayan medical team.

78 mins: Linke centres from wide on the left and Klose rises majestically to meet the ball first, only to head over the bar from 14 yards.

77 mins: Germany are enjoying lots of possession, but they just are not making any real use of it.

76 mins: With extra-time looking a distinct possibility, it is interesting to note that Paraguay were involved in the only World Cup match where a golden goal was scored to settle a match. Back at France '98, Chilavert and co went out to Laurent Blanc's golden goal for the host nation in the second round. History repeating?

75 mins: Cardozo picks the ball up around 30 yards from goal down the inside-right channel, but his first-time shot is disappointing and he drags it wide of Kahn's goal.

74 mins: After finally getting the wall back ten yards, Chilavert's effort never looks like hitting the target as it floats tamely over the crossbar.

73 mins: German complaints continue to delay the free-kick.

72 mins: A yellow card for Baumann as he just catches Bonet late to give Paraguay a free-kick in a central spot around 25 yards out. Here comes Chilavert to take it.

71 mins: With around 20 minutes left, both sides clearly have an eye on what is looking like an inevitable extra 30 minutes.

70 mins: Bode floats a cross towards Ballack and as Gamarra eases the midfielder away from the ball - much to Ballack's anger - play continues and Paraguay can build.

69 mins: Paraguay get a rare chance to cross into the German box as they win a free-kick on the right. Arce's ball is delivered with pace, but Baumann does well to deal with it and Germany clear their lines.

68 mins: A chance for Frings on the right edge of the Paraguayan area as he turns back on himself before shooting poorly over the bar with his weaker left foot.

67 mins: As we move towards the final quarter of regulation time, it is starting to look more and more as if we are on course for the drama of extra-time, with golden goals proving decisive.

66 mins: Half-a-yard for Klose after Schneider's ball, but his first touch lets him down under pressure from two defenders and Chilavert comes out to collect.

65 mins: Acuna picks out the ball around 25 yards from goal, but after taking a nice first touch, his second is dire as he slices the ball horribly high and wide.

64 mins: Corner to Germany and Neuville's near-post flag-kick is met by the glancing head of Ballack, but the ball flies straight to Chilavert.

63 mins: Kehl looks to play in Ballack down the right, but the ball runs behind for a goal-kick as the new Bayern Munich man fails to keep it in. So far, Ballack has not enjoyed the best of games and it could well be that he is suffering from the calf injury that threatened his partaking in the game.

62 mins: Neuville draws a competent save from Chilavert as he takes a catch at a nice height to his left from a swerving 25-yard strike.

61 mins: A deep cross from Linke goes over the head of the waiting Neuville, Klose and Ballack and Ayala is able to bring the ball away.

60 mins: Metzelder, who was caught by a heavy challenge a few minutes ago, takes his leave and Frank Baumann comes on to replace him.

59 mins: Movement down on the German bench looks likely to lead to a second replacement from Voller.

58 mins: You just get the feeling that this game is there for Germany to take if they really pushed for it, but all of a sudden the pace of the game drops back to its pedestrian style of the first period.

57 mins: Germany continue to enjoy the better of this second half, but coach Voller will become more and more wary should his charges fail to break the deadlock.

56 mins: A very ambitious effort from defender Frings, whose shot from fully 35 yards is sliced well wide of Chilavert's goal.

55 mins: Another free-kick to Germany, wide on the right flank inside the Paraguayan half. Schneider crosses again with pace, but Gamarra heads clear.

54 mins: Poor discipline from Paraguay at the moment as Gamarra now clatters into Neuville to concede a free-kick 30 yards out on the right side. Schneider curls it towards the near post with Chilavert scrambling and the 'keeper is relieved to see it fly just wide of his left-hand upright.

53 mins: It has been a lively opening to the half from both sides, with each looking to up the tempo in search of an opening goal.

52 mins: A free-kick to Germany as Cardozo just catches Metzelder in a challenge and the Paraguay man is booked. The German defender takes the tackle badly though and goes off for treatment.

51 mins: Campos breaks with pace and purpose down the inside-left channel after Acuna's delightful pass. He opts to shoot early from 25 yards out and stings the hands of Kahn with a drive that the goalkeeper collects at the second attempt.

50 mins: A powerful strike from Bode flies into the Paraguayan wall and they bravely resist to clear their lines.

49 mins: Voller clearly had some stern words for his side at half-time as it is Germany who have come out looking a different team since the break. Now they win a corner in a central position around 30 yards from the Paraguay goal.

48 mins: Germany's best chance of the game so far is spurned by Schneider, who shoots straight into the arms of Chilavert from 12 yards after Neuville's break and cross from the right.

47 mins: An early positive start to the half from Germany with Jeremies ending a nice spell of pressure with a shot that is charged down and deflected through to Chilavert.

46 mins: We resume in Seogwipo with one change made by Germany during the break. Rehmer is off and Sebastian Kehl has come on.

HT: Germany 0 Paraguay 0

45 mins: Thankfully there are only two minutes of added-time as one of the more uninspiring halves of this World Cup draws to a drab conclusion. Things can surely only get better, but now that we're in the knockout stages, teams are all the more wary about giving anything away. We could yet be in line for golden goal extra-time and even penalties.

44 mins: Cardozo and Rehmer collide just outside the German penalty area, but despite the protestations from the Paraguay man, no whistle sounds.

43 mins: Half a chance for Caniza as the ball is played inside to him by Caceres on the left. However, he snatches a little at his 25-yard drive and pulls it tamely left of Kahn's goal.

42 mins: The half continues to wind down and both sides look as though they are ready for a break already.

41 mins: A good position for Paraguay after Cardozo lays the ball back to Acuna after running down the right flank, but the latter's long ball for Campos is overhit and runs out for a goal-kick.

40 mins: Paraguay coach Maldini will be happier with the way his side are beginning to revert to their passing game, and they are starting to get some rewards for doing so.

39 mins: A first corner of the game for Paraguay, but they fail to make the best use of it and Germany are able to clear through Rehmer.

38 mins: The best effort of the match so far comes from Paraguay substitute Campos, who collects a diagonal pass from Arce, before lashing a 23-yard drive on Kahn's goal, only to see the 'keeper acrobatically turn it over his bar with a flying right hand.

37 mins: From Chilavert's free-kick, Kahn punches poorly to Bonet outside the German area. He heads wide to Acuna, whose cross picks out defender Ayala in acres of space, but he slices horribly off the top of his boot from 12 yards out and wide of Kahn's goal. A let-off for Germany.

36 mins: After giving away a free-kick for backing into Caniza, Schneider talks his way into the referee's book to earn a yellow card.

35 mins: The cross comes in from Schneider and he pulls it back to Bode. His attempted shot skews to Linke inside the area, in a similar position to Klose's effort a couple of minutes ago, but he skies the ball even higher than his team-mate as Paraguay again escape.

34 mins: A neat move from Germany ends with Klose winning a free-kick just outside the right side of the Paraguayan area.

33 mins: The first sniff of goal from Klose today sees him fire a first-time shot on the turn from 15 yards out well over Chilavert's crossbar. He was under pressure from three defenders, but in the form he is in, would have hoped to have hit the target.

32 mins: Rehmer almost catches out goalkeeper Kahn with a poor backpass and the Bayern Munich stopper does well to beat Campos and hack away.

31 mins: Campos makes a good advancing run through the middle of the German half, but Torsten Frings tracks his man before making a perfectly-timed challenge to win the ball.

30 mins: Losing their leading striker is a blow for Paraguay, but in all fairness, Santa Cruz had been pretty ineffective during his time on the field anyway.

29 mins: Santa Cruz does come off and it is Jorge Campos, who also came on to score as a substitute in the win over Slovenia, takes over in attack.

28 mins: It looks as though Santa Cruz will be substituted as he is still struggling with the earlier injury he collected.

27 mins: Kahn sends a long ball into the Paraguayan box and Struway only heads to Bode just outside his area. The German player takes a touch off his chest, but fires his subsequent volley over the bar.

26 mins: The first card of the game is issued to a Paraguay player and it is Roberto Acuna who collects a booking for a late scythe on Jeremies.

25 mins: It has been a scrappy last couple of minutes with fouls being conceded with frustrating regularity in the middle of the field.

24 mins: Santa Cruz almost breaks the German offside trap, but as Rehmer steps up, Cardozo's header onwards sees the Bayern forward stray a couple of yards offside.

23 mins: As we pass the halfway stage in this first period, there are some signs of life from Paraguay, but they have been outplayed so far by Voller's team.

22 mins: Arce, who scored a stunning free-kick in the group stages against South Africa, looks to replicate that strike here from 30 yards out on the left, but his powerful drive is met by both fists from Kahn, who effectively clears.

21 mins: Jeremies, not normally a player known for his deft skill, almost catches Chilavert off his line with a 45-yard lob, but with the goalkeeper retreating, the effort sails just high and wide.

20 mins: Santa Cruz is back on the field now and Paraguay finally get their first shot of the game in. Denis Caniza shoots with the outside of his left boot from 28 yards out, but Oliver Kahn has it covered in the German goal and sees it go wide.

19 mins: Ballack looks to curl a shot past Chilavert, but his effort is always going too high, enabling the goalkeeper to see it sail out for a goa-kick.

18 mins: Schneider and Neuville combine neatly just outside the Paraguay box, but Ayala's tackle is crucial. Moments later, Julio Caceres gives away a free-kick in a central position around 30 yards from his own goal.

17 mins: A worrying moment for Paraguay with Santa Cruz down receiving treatment for a knock on his thigh.

16 mins: Neuville is caught late with a challenge from Gamarra, but despite a free-kick being awarded to Germany, no card is issued by the Guatemalan ref.

15 mins: Paraguay are still yet to find their rhythm and interestingly, they have adopted somewhat of a direct tactic with their play so far, quite unlike their usual tight and incisive passing game.

14 mins: A free-kick to Germany around 30 yards out from the Paraguay goal on the right as Gamarra is adjudged to have jumped on Klose. Schneider's cross is too close to Chilavert, though, and the extrovert 'keeper catches well.

13 mins: Ballack fires in a snapshot from 27 yards out and Chilavert is relieved to see it slice just wide of his post as the score remains goalless.

12 mins: World Cup leading scorer Miroslav Klose rises majestically as he looks to pick out Neuville with a header down. He just fails to connect with his team-mate, but his aerial domination is showing already against some bigger defenders.

11 mins: Good territorial pressure from Rudi Voller's men, but Bode concedes a free-kick in the Paraguayan box for leaning on Ayala.

10 mins: Germany are looking the better side in the early exchanges and appear confident when going forward with the instrumental Ballack pulling the strings.

9 mins: Francisco Arce curls a super free-kick into the Germany penalty box, but defender Ayala is pulled up for a foul on Jeremies to ease the pressure on the Germans.

8 mins: The second corner of the game for Germany as Celso Ayala misdirects his header and it goes behind. Neuville crosses to the near post, where Ballack flicks on, but out for a goal kick.

7 mins: A route one through-ball from Chilavert picks out the head of Santa Cruz, but his header downwards just fails to pick out Jose Cardozo.

6 mins: Paraguay are looking to get star striker Roque Santa Cruz into the game, and the Bayern Munich player is hoping to get one over on some of his club-mates today.

5 mins: Bernd Schneider curls the ball into the Paraguay box, but the defence make a hash of clearing the ball and Thomas Linke hits a shot under pressure just wide of Jose Luis Chilavert's left-hand post.

4 mins: Neuville looks to play in Bode inside the Paraguay penalty area, but Carlos Gamarra slides in to concede a corner.

3 mins: Early sparring from the sides and Bonet gets a chance to run down the right flank, only to be tackled by Christoph Metzelder.

2 mins: This is the ground where Paraguay had sensationally booked their place in the second round with a comeback from 1-0 down with ten men to beat Slovenia 3-1. Will it be a good omen?

1 min: Referee Carlos Batres from Guatemala is the man in charge of today's match and he gets the opening match of the second round under way on a hot afternoon.

Pre-match: The major team news from Seogwipo is that Germany midfielder Michael Ballack has been passed fit to start. With their suspension worries - Dietmar Hamann, Christian Ziege and Carsten Ramelow all missed out - Jens Jeremies, Marco Bode and Marko Rehmer are drafted into their side. Striker Oliver Neuville also came in to take the place of Carsten Jancker. For Paraguay, the big news was that group-round hero Nelson Cuevas only started on the bench. Suspended Carlos Paredes was out and Guido Alvarenga only made the bench, with Carlos Bonet and Estanislao Struway taking their places in Cesare Maldini's side.