JOSE LUIS CHILAVERT has spent much of the World Cup taunting Spain but the eccentric goalkeeper could not thank them enough for helping Paraguay qualify dramatically for the second round.
Paraguay's breathless victory coupled with Spain's narrow win over South Africa meant the South Americans snatched the runners-up spot in Group B by the narrowest of margins.
Paraguay and South Africa finished on four points with a goal difference of zero but Cesare Maldini's side squeezed through because they scored one more goal and they will now play Germany back in Seogwipo on Saturday.
Chilavert, who deflected a shot by Milenko Acimovic into his own net to give Slovenia the lead in first-half stoppage time, later said: "Many thanks to Fernando Hierro and the rest of the Spanish team for beating South Africa and helping us move on to the next round."
When Chilavert made his mistake it seemed Paraguay would never achieve their mission impossible. They had been reduced to 10 men after Carlos Paredes was dismissed midway through the first half for two bookable offences.
But the substitutes Nelson Cuevas and Jorge Campos had other ideas. Cuevas, 22, who plays for River Plate, equalised in the 65th minute - within four minutes of coming on - before the experienced Campos put them ahead eight minutes later.
With South Africa losing 3-2, Paraguay now needed one more goal and, after the Slovenian substitute Nastja Ceh had been sent off for a high tackle, Cuevas obliged with a mazy dribble past three players and an unstoppable shot six minutes from time.
The whole Paraguay bench ran on to the pitch in celebration and afterwards Maldini said: "You have to suffer in football and tonight we have suffered a lot."
The Paraguay striker Roque Santa Cruz claimed Cuevas can be infuriating at times because he always wants to take players on.
"He's a very good, young player but sometimes he's a little bit crazy," he said. "He always wants to dribble past everybody. Sometimes you can do that and sometimes you lose the ball but that's the way he is and he was marvellous tonight."
Unfortunately for Cuevas, he may miss the game against Germany after damaging his ankle just before the end of the game.
The last word, as always, went to Chilavert: "Germany will not be an easy opponent, but we will start thinking about them tomorrow. Tonight we just want to enjoy this win."
SUBSTITUTES
Slovenia: Mladen Rudonja for Miran Pavlin (40 mins); Nastja Ceh for Milenko Acimovic for (63 mins); Senad Tiganj for Milan Osterc (78 mins). Paraguay: Jorge Campos for Guido Alvarenga (54 mins); Nelson Cuevas for Jose Cardozo (61 mins), Juan Carlos Franco for Cuevas (90 mins).
RED CARDS
Slovenia: Nastja Ceh (81 mins. Paraguay: - Carlos Paredes (22 mins).
YELLOW CARDS
Slovenia: Miran Pavlin, Amir Karic, Mladen Rudonja, Zeljko Milinovic. Paraguay: Carlos Paredes.
