Brilliant save keeps Paraguay in contention

Press, 9 June 1986, Page 23

Brilliant save keeps Paraguay in contention

NZPA-Reuter Mexico City The Paraguayan goal-keeper, Roberto Fernandez, pulled off a fingertip penalty save in the last minute yesterday to thwart for the time being Mexico’s hopes of reaching the last 16 of the World Cup.

In a group B match packed with drama and excitement, Fernandez’s save, from a penalty by the Mexican national hero, Hugo Sanchez, kept the score at 1-1. The result left both sides with three points from two games and one of them at least must advance to the second phase. Mexico, with a final group match against the section outsiders, Iraq, on Wednesday, are virtually certain to go through. With the stadium clock showing full-time, Sanchez stepped up to take the spot kick, knowing that a goal, and 2-1 victory, would put Mexico through regardless of what happened against Iraq.

He hit the ball well but Fernandez lunged to his right and got a fingertip to the ball to deflect it to safety. The 114,000-capacity crowd in the giant Aztec Stadium had been jubilant when the English referee, George Courtney, who had incurred their anger on several occasions,

awarded the home side a penalty after Sanchez tumbled just inside the box. In fact he appeared to be just outside the area when he collided with the Paraguayan defender, Wladimiro Schettina. But, having refused Mexico what appeared a certain penalty in the first half, Courtney this time pointed to the spot to the fury of the Paraguyan players. Had Sanchez scored, Courtney might have been forgiven by the fans for his earlier decision. But

Sanchez missed and Courtney, who had earlier booked the Real Madrid striker, was booed from the pitch. Sanchez’s booking for time-wasting by rolling around in somewhat overdramatic agony after an earlier clash with Fernandez, means he will miss the Iraq match having been booked in the opening game against Belgium when he celebrated a goal by kicking the ball into the crowd. It was ironic that Sanchez, almost looked on as

a saint here, should have let the fans down today while Mexico's two most controversial players, the goal-keeper, Pablo Larios, and the striker, Luis Flores, were the Mexican heroes. Flores gave the fans something to cheer about after only two minutes 15 seconds when he coolly chested down a cross and slotted the ball past Fernandez to put his side ahead. At the other end, Larios was in magnificent form, blocking everything the Paraguayans threw at him. Larios looked like keep-

ing a clean sheet until six minutes from the end when the Paraguayan star, Julio Romero, met a cross from the substitute, Ramon Hicks, and headed the ball home for the equaliser.

But it was Fernandez’s day. His fellow players, who had spent several minutes jostling Courtney to protest against the lastminute penalty award, raced to hug the big goalkeeper, after his save of a lifetime.