Liow Yi Yang rates the players in Paraguay's convincing 2-0 win over Slovakia, a side severely lacking in the creativity department.
Slovakia
Jan Mucha - 6.5
Made some important saves to keep the scoreline down for his team
Kornel Salata - 5
Miss a good chance to equalize with a header from a corner in the first half. Struggled with a potent Paraguayan attack.
Martin Skrtel - 5
Skrtel was mostly dependable at the back but did give his keeper heart attacks with two uncharacteristic errors. If looks could kill...
Jan Durica - 5.5
Decent in the left back berth today and made one surging run in the second half.
Peter Pekarik - 5
Had a tough time containing Valdez.
Marek Hamsik - 5
The highly regarded midfielder looked the likeliest to pry open a stubborn Paraguayan defence but a congested midfield made it difficult for him weave any magic.
Zdeno Strba - 4
Strba should have won more tackles and retained possession for his team. His midfield struggled to make any kind of impression.
Robert Vittek - 5
Finally stood up to his task in the dying embers of the game when he fired in his side's only shot on target, an amazing statistic.
Jan Kozak - 5
All over the place and did nothing to create for a side severely lacking in ideas.
Vladimir Weiss - 6
The diminutive Weiss looked lively and offered some penetration. Not his best game but this young one has undoubted potential.
Stanislav Sestak - 4.5
Deliveries from the right were terrible. Sestak has got to improve.
Substitutes
Holosko (on 69' for Sestak) - 5
Struggled produce anything, much like the player he replaced.
Miroslav Stoch (on 83' for Komel Salata)
Little time to impress.
Paraguay
Justo Villar - 6
Villar didn't actually need to turn up today, well at least until the 92nd minute when Robert Vittek finally fired in Slovakia's first shot on target.
AntolÃn Alcaraz - 7
Another assured performance from Alcaraz who's looked right at home in central defence with da Silva so far. Made important interventions for his team and showed a good turn of pace for a defender.
Paulo Da Silva - 6.5
The Sunderland defender had to contend with the aerial threat of Vittek but bossed at the back.
Claudio Morel RodrÃguez - 7
Did well and offered some width down the left channel. Shackled Sestak to great effect.
Carlos Bonet - 6.5
Bonet put in some key tackles and had a decent game overall.
Cristian Riveros - 8
Got up to support his forwards and was useful in the tackle. Thumped in a great effort for his team's second goal.
Victor Cáceres - 7.5
Caceres' graft and ball winning skills allowed the three man midfield that he was part off to dominate.
Nelson Haedo Valdez - 8
Valdez is an important part of this impressive Paraguayan side. Strong and technically gifted, he provided much threat to the Slovakian defence with his direct running. The hard working attacker even got back to help out his defence at times.
Enrique Vera - 9
Brilliant outside of the boot finish from the industrious Vera to put his team ahead. He huffed and puffed for the entire 90 minutes. Man of the match.
Roque Santa Cruz - 7.5
Santa Cruz managed to get himself into dangerous positions and almost got his name on the score sheet. Still seems half a yard off the pace but if his side can get him fully fit, he will be their focal point in what was a very impressive three-pronged Paraguayan attack.
Lucas Barrios - 8.5
The new Paraguay international showed why he was the third highest goal scorer in the Bundesliga last term. Tricky Barrios was a constant thorn in the Slovakian defence and displayed great vision and execution to pick out Vera for the goal.
Substitues
Aurelliano Torres (on 67' for Valdez) - 6
Shored up a tiring midfield.
Oscar Cardozo (on 81' for Barrios)
His place on the bench shows Paraguay's good strength in depth. Little time to impress.
Edgar Barreto (on 87' for Vera)
Little time to impress.