Paraguay TEAMS

Paraguay heads to South Africa without emblematic striker Salvador Cabanas (left), who is recovering after being shot in a bar in January. His replacement is Argentine-born Lucas Barrios.

ASUNCION, May 20 (Reuters) - Paraguay's goal is to go further than ever at the World Cup by reaching the last eight with a more attacking game than in the past, based on the experience of their leading players.

They go to South Africa shocked by the shooting of their emblematic striker Salvador Cabanas in a Mexico City bar in January, and determined to do well for their team mate who is recovering at a rehabilitation centre.

Paraguayans believe the team will finish in the top two of a relatively comfortable group with holders Italy, leaving Slovenia and New Zealand in their wake, though some fear a repeat of their disappointing 2006 finals when they failed to progress from the opening round.

Paraguay, overshadowed in South America by big neighbours Argentina and Brazil, have changed their game under Argentine coach Gerardo Martino, putting greater emphasis on attack and not depending solely on solid defence and aerial power, their traditional strengths.

In the last decade they have come to rival other teams for the third spot in South America's hierarchy. They qualified third behind Brazil and Chile but ahead of Argentina and Uruguay, despite a domestic game of limited resources.

Martino's plans took a nasty knock with the shooting of Cabanas, a key figure on and off the pitch, and he has sought to replace him beyond Paraguayan borders with the naturalisation of Argentine-born striker Lucas Barrios which came through just in time.

It helped that Barrios, who scored 19 goals in his first season in the Bundesliga, plays alongside Paraguay striker Nelson Haedo Valdez at Borussia Dortmund and did not look likely to be called up by Argentina coach Diego Maradona.

Barrios, whose mother is Paraguayan, would fit in more quickly to the team set-up, having played with Haedo Valdez, argued Martino when confronted with criticism of the choice.

Martino has two more top strikers in Roque Santa Cruz and Oscar Cardozo and a midfield mix that includes two more Argentine-born players, Jonathan Santana and Nestor Ortigoza, who shared the junior ranks at Buenos Aires club Argentinos Juniors with Barrios.

"Whether we are strong (enough) or not, I don't know, but I do know we'll give all (our opponents) a fight," Martino said.

World-Factbox on Paraguay


ASUNCION, May 20 (Reuters) - Factbox on the Paraguay team who are competing in Group F at the World Cup in South Africa:

Colours: Red and white striped shirt, blue shorts, blue socks.

Nickname: La albirroja (the white and red)

Previous World Cup appearances - 7: 1930, 1950, 1958, 1986, 1998, 2002, 2006

Best World Cup performance: second round 1986, 1998, 2002

Coach: Gerardo Martino (Argentine)

Most capped player: Carlos Gamarra 110

Top goalscorer: Jose Saturnino Cardozo 25

Talking points:

The loss of Salvador Cabanas, recovering after being shot in the head in an argument in a Mexico City bar in January, might affect Paraguay's chances.

Coach Martino has a policy of calling up naturalised players, with four Argentine-born men in his provisional 30-man squad.

Players to watch:

The Borussia Dortmund strike pair of Nelson Haedo Valdez and Lucas Barrios, if he makes the cut for the 23-man squad. Fellow striker Oscar Cardozo has been in fine scoring form for Benfica, while Roque Santa Cruz stands out for his experience.

Paraguay Squad - Lucas Barrios Makes Gerardo Martino's Final 23

Paraguay coach Gerardo Martino confirmed his final 23-man squad for the World Cup this evening, and Argentinian-born Lucas Barrios will be delighted to have made the cut.

The Dortmund striker, who only declared for Paraguay last month, scored on his debut last week against Republic Of Ireland before making it two in two against Ivory Coast last night.

Despite his initial heroics, Barrios is expected to start on the bench this summer with Roque Santa Cruz likely to partner Nelson Valdez in attack.

Monterrey midfielder Osvaldo Martinez will probably be the most disappointed of the names left out by Martino but there were no major surprises.

Paraguay have been drawn in Group F alongside New Zealand, Slovakia and Italy.

Goalkeepers
Justo Villar Valladolid (ESP)
Aldo Bobadilla Deportivo Medellin (COL)
Diego Barreto Cerro Porteno
Defenders
Claudio Morel Rodriguez Boca Juniors (ARG)
Denis Caniza Leon (MEX)
Paulo da Silva Sunderland (ENG)
Dario Veron Pumas (MEX)
Julio Cesar Caceres Atletico Mineiro (BRA)
Carlos Bonet Olimpia
Aureliano Torres San Lorenzo (ARG)
Antolin Alcaraz Wigan Athletic (ENG)
Midfielders
Edgar Barreto Atalanta (ITA)
Cristian Riveros Sunderland (ENG)
Victor Caceres
Enrique Vera Liga De Quito (ECU)
Jonathan Santana Wolfsburg (GER)
Nestor Ortigoza Argentinos Juniors (ARG)
Forwards
Roque Santa Cruz Manchester City (ENG)
Nelson Haedo Valdez Borussia Dortmund (GER)
Oscar Cardozo Benfica (POR)
Edgar Benitez Pachuca (MEX)
Lucas Barrios Borussia Dortmund (GER)
Rodolfo Gamarra Libertad


Trainer
Gerardo Martino
Goalkeeper
22 Aldo Bobadilla
1 Justo Villar
12 Diego Barreto
Defender
4 Denis Caniza
14 Paulo da Silva
2 Darío Verón
3 Claudio Morel
5 Julio César Cáceres
21 Antolín Alcaraz
17 Aureliano Torres
13 Enrique Vera
Midfielder
6 Carlos Bonet
8 Edgar Barreto
17 Aureliano Torres
16 Cristián Riveros
11 Jonathan Santana
13 Enrique Vera
15 Víctor Caceres
20 Néstor Ortigoza
Forward
9 Roque Santa Cruz
18 Nelson Valdez
10 Edgar Benitez
7 Oscar Cardozo
23 Rodolfo Gamarra