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By Gavin Willacy
SPAIN coach Javier Clemente is one game away from the sack after his side suffered a disastrous goalless draw against Paraguay in St Etienne last night. The pressure on Clemente is certain to reach unbearable proportions over the next few days in the build-up to a do-or-die battle with Bulgaria in Lens next Wednesday.
And it's a simple equation for Clemente and his strange team if he and they are to survive: Spain must beat the Bulgarians and hope Nigeria - already qualified from the group - do not lose to Paraguay. While Spain new qualification from the �Group of Death' would be hard, with a record of three defeats in 53 games going into the finals, Clemente's side can never have forseen such a disastrous start. For the end to be in sight only six days into their campaign is a huge shock to the nation, a nation who thought they were finally about to remove the heavy coat of under-achievers that hangs heavy on Spain's shoulders at every tournament.
But after an anxious and tense performance, France 98 is on the brink of taking its toll on one of the pre-World Cup favourites and the guillotine is set to fall in spectacular fashion on their nearest neighbours. A dire performance against mediocre Paraguay was the last thing Clemente wanted he was already under pressure going into this game as stinging attacks by the Spanish critics following the opening 3-2 defeat by Nigeria forced him into making five changes to the starting line-up.
There were two in defence, one in midfield and two up front, with captain Andoni Zubizarreta, winning his 125th cap, retained in goal despite his catastrophic mistake in gifting the Nigerians their second equaliser a dreadful moment that will be looked upon as the act that condemned Clemente his close friend and confidante. �Zubi' may be responsible for putting Clemente's neck in the noose, and his team-mates have done their best to tighten it.
Watching the shapeless, frightened performance of his latest line-up, Clemente panicked. With less than an hour gone, he did a Graham Taylor and took off Spain's golden boy, Raul. Remember Taylor's knee-jerk reaction to falling behind to Sweden in Euro 92? He took off the player most likely to score, Gary Lineker, and brought on someone with more physical presence, Alan Smith. Smith did not score, England went out and Taylor was never forgiven.
Like Lineker, Raul was not playing well. But he has the unpredictable flair that was clearly needed to undo Paraguay's he had forced their splendid goalkeeper Jose Chilavert into his most difficult saves. It would surely have made far more sense to bring on Kiko as a third striker, not play him alongside Juan Antonio Pizzi. Against Nigeria, Spain were excellent for 70 minutes, with Alfonso and Raul pulling their defenders wide and getting to the bye-line. Clemente tried to repeat that without either of them in the final half hour.
A minute before half-time, Raul had the best chance to win the game when a brilliant turn inside the area set himself up to send in a fierce angled drive from only six yards. But Clemente has as much ability in his field as Real Madrid's 21-year-old wonderkid and he made of the saves of the tournament. When his parry rolled out, it looked certain that Pizzi would stab home the rebound. But, miraculously, Celso Ayala hacked the ball off his toes.
Pizzi had the other great opportunity of the opening 45 minutes with an eight-yard header which Chilavert pushed acrobatically over the bar. The Paraguayan captain made two more straightforward stops - yet just as equally important - after the break from Luis Enrique, a 15-yard left-foot half-volley and a close-range header.
But there was an appalling absence of flair and invention from a talented Spanish side which had attacked so adventurously against Nigeria, yet whose downfall was almost entirely down to one horrific error. Unlike Spain, Paraguay's destiny is now in their own hands, despite now having failed to find the net in their two games so far and whose best opportunity was a 63rd minute Miguel Benitez piledriver which Zubizarreta tipped over at full stretch. �Zubi' was blameless this time, but the barrage of whistles which greeted the final whistle will have rung around his head all night.
THE MATCH STATS
Spain (0) 0 Paraguay (0) 0
Spain: Zubizarreta (6), Alkorta (6), Aguilera (7), Abelardo (6) (Celades (6) 56), Sergi (6), Hierro (6), Amor (6), Luis Enrique (6), Raul (6) (Kiko (6) 66), Pizzi (5) (Morientes (6) 53), Etxeberria (8).
Subs Not Used: Canizares, Molina, Ferrer, Nadal, Ivan Campo, Aranzabal, Guerrero, Alfonso.
Booked: Sergi, Kiko.
Paraguay: Chilavert (7), Sarabia (6), Ayala (8), Arce (7), Caniza (6), Gamarra (6), Enciso (6), Acuna (6) (Yegros (6) 74), Benitez (7), Campos (6) (Paredes (6) 45), A. Rojas (6) (Ramirez (6) 84).
Subs Not Used: Diaz, Aceval, Rivarola, R. Rojas, Aguilera, Morales, Cardoso, Brizuela.
Booked: Ayala, Arce.
Att: 35,300 (crowd rating: 6)
Referee: I McLeod (South Africa) 7.
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DON'T GIVE UP,
SAYS DESPERATE CLEMENTE
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JAVIER CLEMENTE maintained his side will still qualify for the second round of the World Cup despite their flop in Saint-Etienne.
Spain will sneak through in second place behind the Nigeria if they beat Bulgaria and Nigeria collect their third win against Paraguay.
''I think Nigeria is better than Paraguay so if we beat Bulgaria we could still qualify,'' said the under-pressure Spain coach. ''We have to play our final game as if it was a final.''
Clemente's job is on the line after his team, beaten 3-2 by Nigeria in their opening game despite an impressive record in the build-up to France 98, failed to break down the group's outsiders or finish off their few chances.
''They closed down every avenue open to us," excused Clemente. "It may not be very nice to look at but it is effective. If they succeed in reaching the second round they will be dangerous opponents for whoever they meet.''
Paraguay's Brazilian coach Paulo Cesar Carpeggiani paid tribute to his team for holding out under intense pressure from the Spanish. ''We had some chances to score and did not take them but it was still a good result for us,'' said Carpeggiani. ''Spain was under a lot of pressure to win the match and get three points and that is why they pushed so many people forward.
''We played a different style but we coped well with the pressure and it is up to us now whether we reach the second round.''
The Paraguay coach acknowledged that his team still had a mountain to climb against Nigeria.
''Nigeria is the strongest team in the group and we will have to give everything to beat them,'' he said.
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