Villa goes post to post as Spain holds off Paraguay

Villa banked in the only goal of Spain's 1-0 victory over Paraguay in the World Cup quarterfinals off not one post, but both of them. Villa took the tournament scoring lead with his fifth goal, in the 83rd minute, setting off a crescendo of blaring vuvuzelas in the stadium and further cementing his status as his nation's top player.

His goal finished off a brilliant, three-way passing combination that typifies the way the European champions like to play. It sent Spain into the World Cup's final four for the first time in 60 years and highlighted a chaotic second half.

"The post wanted it to go in," Villa said.

Now Spain faces Germany on Wednesday.

Penalty kicks were critical in Spain's win as a somewhat subdued match suddenly got wild in a two-minute span of the second half.

Gerard Pique pulled down Paraguay's Oscar Cardozo in the penalty area on a corner kick, earning a yellow card and giving Cardozo a penalty kick.

The striker who ended his team's shootout win over Japan was denied brilliantly this time by Iker Casillas, who dived left to block Cardozo's low kick.

Seconds later, Villa broke free behind the defense and was hauled down by Antolin Alcoraz, who drew a yellow card. Xabi Alonso went to the penalty spot and sent a wicked drive into the net.

Again, the stadium rocked, but referee Carlos Batres waved off the goal, saying a Spain player entered the area too soon.

Given a second chance, keeper Justo Villar guessed correctly, diving left to stop the penalty kick. He also knocked the rebound away from Cesc Fabregas before defender Paulo Da Silva made a leg save at the goal line on another shot by Sergio Ramos.

Corner kicks

• FIFA suspended Uruguay forward Luis Suarez for one match for his deliberate handball to deny Ghana the winning goal in a quarterfinal match. It means Suarez will miss Tuesday's semifinal, but would be available for the final if his team advances.

• Wesley Sneijder has been credited with the Netherlands' first goal in the 2-1 quarterfinal win over Brazil. Sneijder's cross in the 53rd minute glanced off Felipe Melo's head into an unguarded goal Friday and was announced as an own goal .