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USA vs Paraguay: what to expect from savvy Paraguay team
The U.S. Men’s National Team is just three days away from its World Cup opener, where Captain Tim Ream and the Americans will face a resilient Paraguay squad Friday at 6 p.m. local time.
The U.S. Men’s National Team is just three days away from its World Cup opener, where Captain Tim Ream and the Americans will face a resilient Paraguay squad on Friday at 6 p.m. local time.
Paraguay enters the tournament as a notoriously tough opponent, having fought through a grueling qualification process to secure its spot on soccer's biggest stage.
A Historic Defensive Wall
To earn its World Cup berth, Paraguay survived the grueling CONMEBOL qualification cycle. The team played 18 matches—more than any other region—and lost only four times.
The backbone of the Paraguayan roster is its stingy defense, which conceded a mere 10 goals over those 18 qualifying games. The squad even secured crucial qualifying victories over traditional powerhouses Argentina and Brazil.
"They decided early on their identity is going to be, 'How can I stop the opposition?'" said Keith Costigan, an MLS broadcaster for Apple TV. "There’s two types of teams: ones that take the game to you, and ones [that] sit back and say, 'Bring it to us, we dare you to beat us.' That’s who Paraguay are."
Avoiding the Mind Games
Aside from tactical discipline, Paraguay has a knack for getting in opponents' heads. In their last meeting seven months ago—which the U.S. won 2-1—Paraguay demonstrated a flair for the dramatic and a willingness to turn the match into a gritty, physical affair to throw the U.S.'s rhythm off.
One of the biggest hurdles for the U.S. squad on Friday might not be tactical, but emotional.
"Its about being focused," Costigan said. "It’s about, if there is a free kick, not getting in mind games, not getting in arguments, not getting in pushing or shoving matches."
Costigan warned that while the Americans need to hold their ground, losing focus will play directly into Paraguay's hands. "You want your team to stand up for themselves, but if you start doing that and get away from the actual game, Paraguay will be nodding to themselves and say, 'We’ve got them here.'"
Testing the U.S. Attack
Friday's match is set to be a classic "strength-versus-strength" match, pitting Paraguay's suffocating defense against the primary weapon of the U.S. squad: its dynamic attack.
Whether the Americans can keep their cool and break down the Paraguayan wall will dictate their momentum for the rest of the group stage.
Team Paraguay draws large crowd for open practice at San Jose State University
Soccer fever has officially taken over the Bay Area with World Cup play just three days away. A large crowd gathered at San Jose State University this afternoon to watch Team Paraguay during an open community practice session.