The Japanese were terrible preparing for South Africa, Matrix sequel terrible. The lost all four friendlies before the World Cup, getting outscored 9-1. Coach Takeshi Okada tried to resign after a 2-0 loss to South Korea. No one saw them reaching this stage. Few saw them earning a point in a deep group. Arsene Wenger said Okada would deserve a statue if his team advanced. Japan did. They may not be finished. Japan could reach the final eight for the first time. By beating Paraguay, they could become the first Asian team to beat a South American team in World Cup play.

History: Paraguay has qualified for six World Cups in the modern era, reaching the second round three times. Japan has participated in three World Cups, advancing to the second round once as host nation in 2002. Neither has made the quarterfinals.

Form: Japan finished second in Group E with six points. A 1-0 win over Cameroon and a 3-1 defeat of Denmark sandwiched an honorable 1-0 loss to the Netherlands. Paraguay finished first in Group F with five points. They drew Italy 1-1, beat Slovakia 2-0 and drew New Zealand 0-0.

Matchup: The Japanese defense keeps matches tight. They hold possession. In their 4-1-4-1, they use the mobility of the four midfielders to drop deep. They can play a slick passing game, but remain cautious sending men forward. Their strength is direct free kicks. Both Keisuke Honda and Yasuhito Endo bulged the onion bag in the final match, sending Japan to the second round instead of Denmark.

Paraguay play a similar style. With their fellow South Americans, they are emphasizing function over flair. They absorb pressure, relying on the midfield trio of Vera, Riveros and Cacerces to patrol in front of the defense. Though, Cacerces is suspended for this match. The Paraguayans allowed just one goal during the group stage. That was a goalkeeper error. Replacing Salvador Cabanas has been hard. Paraguay’s strikers remain goalless.

Prediction: Bring your stimulant of choice. This could get boring. Both teams prefer to counterattack. Neither creates many chances. The teams combined for 14 corner kicks over their six matches. All indicators point to a midfield deadlock. Thankfully, John Harkes will be there to tickle us with his wit. Japan’s dead ball ability is the one decisive advantage. 1-0 to Japan, possibly in extra-time.