Antolin Alcaraz's first goal for Paraguay helped the South Americans grab a 1-1 draw against reigning champions Italy in both teams' Group F opener, earning him FIFA's Man of the Match award on Monday, DPA reported.
The 27-year-old Club Brugge defender cleared a dangerous ball inside the Paraguay box in the seventh minute and then scored the first goal of the game at the 39-minute mark. Alcaraz out-jumped Italy captain Fabio Cannavaro to head home the score.
It was Alcaraz's seventh cap as he only made Paraguay's regular lineup in August 2009.