The ball fell to Villa in the area after substitute Pedro Rodriguez
hit the post. The Spain striker took one touch before curling a shot in off the
far post.
Villa's tournament-leading fifth goal set up a semifinal match
against Germany in Durban on Wednesday.
Paraguay's defense mostly kept Spain's vaunted attack at bay,
and both teams' best chance to win in normal time came from the penalty spot.
Spain goalkeeper Iker Casillas saved a 59th-minute kick by Oscar
Cardozo. Paraguay captain Justo Villar matched him two minutes later, but only
after referee Carlos Batres made Xabi Alonso retake an initially successful
kick because of encroachment by several teammates.
Substitute Cesc Fabregas was brought down by Villar as he pushed
the rebound past the goalkeeper, but Batres waved away appeals for another
penalty.
Paraguay almost equalized in the 89th as Casillas stopped a
shot by Lucas Barrios before punching away Roque Santa Cruz's attempt from the
rebound. Villa then had a chance to make it 2-0 at the other end after a
breakaway but couldn't convert.
Justo Villar, Dario Veron, Claudio
Morel, Oscar Cardozo, Edgar Barreto (Enrique Vera, 64), Antolin Alcaraz, Jonathan
Santana, Paulo Da Silva, Victor Caceres (Lucas Barrios, 84), Christian Riveros,
Nelson Valdez (Roque Santa Cruz, 72).
Iker Casillas, Sergio Ramos, Joan Capdevila, Carles Puyol
(Carlos Marchena, 84), Gerard Pique, Sergio Busquets, Xabi Alonso (Pedro
Rodriguez, 75), Xavi Hernandez, Andres Iniesta, David Villa, Fernando Torres
(Cesc Fabregas, 56).
