Miguel Benitez playing for Paraguay in their 0-0 draw
with Bulgaria in Montpellier at the 1998 World Cup in France.
GROUP D.
Paraguay (0) v (0) Bulgaria. Stade de la Mosson, Montpellier. Friday 12th June 1998.
Attendance 27,600. This was the first meeting in all competitions between the two sides
Paraguay:
Jose Luis Chilavert (GK. captain), Celso Ayala, Carlos Gamarra, Pedro Sarabia, Carlos Paredes,
Roberto Miguel Acuna, Julio Cesar Encico, Carlos Morales Santos, Miguel Angel Benitez,
Jorge Luis Campos, Jose Cardozo.
Subs:
Denis Caniza for Carlos Morales Santos 43 min,
Cesar Ramirez for Jose Cardozo 70 min,
Julio Cesar Yegros for Jorge Luis Campos
79 min.
Bulgaria:
Zdravko Zdravkov
(GK), Trifon Ivanov (captain), Ivailo Petkov, Radostin Kishishev,
Krasimir Balakov, Ilian Iliev, Anatoli Nankov, Zlatko Yankov, Ivailo Yordanov, Luboslav Penev,
Hristo Stoichkov.
Subs:
Emil Kostadinov for Luboslav Penev 69 min,
Daniel Borimirov for Ilian Iliev 79min.
Paraguay (0) v (0) Spain. Stade Geoffroy Guichard, Saint-Etienne. 19 Jun 1998.
Attendance 30,600.
Paraguay:
José Luis Chilavert (GK C), Francisco Arce, Celso Ayala, Carlos Gamarra,
Pedro Sarabia,
Denis Caniza, Roberto Acuña (Julio César Yegros 73 min),
Miguel Benítez, Julio César Enciso,
Jorge Campos (Carlos Paredes 46 min),
Aristídes Rojas (César Ramírez 83 min).
Spain:
Andoni Zubizarreta (C), Aguilera, Abelardo (Albert Celades 56 min),
Rafael Alkorta, Sergi,
Fernando Hierro, Guillermo Amor, Luis Enrique,
Raúl (Francisco Kiko 66 min), Joseba Etxeberría,
Juan Antonio Pizzi
(Fernando Morientes 53 min).
Paraguay (3) v (1) Nigeria. (Ayala 1m, Benítez 59m, Cardoso 86m, Oruma 11m)
Stade Municipal, Toulouse, 24 Jun 1998. Attendance 37,500.
Paraguay:
José Luis Chilavert, Francisco Arce, Celso Ayala, Carlos Gamarra,
Pedro Sarabia,
Denis Caniza (Julio César Yegros 54 min), Carlos Paredes,
Miguel Benítez (Roberto Acuña 67 min),
Julio César Enciso, José Cardozo,
Hugo Brizuela (Aristídes Rojas 77 min)
Nigeria:
Peter Rufai, Augustine Eguavoen, Ben Iroha, Taribo West, Uche Okafor,
Sunday Oliseh (Godwin Okpara 46 min), Wilson Oruma (Finidi George 68 min),
Garba Lawal,
Tijani Babangida, Rasheed Yekini, Nwankwo Kanu.
ROUND OF SIXTEEN.
Paraguay (0) v (0) France: (0-1 after extra time. Laurent Blanc 113 min*) Stade Felix Bollaert, Lens,
28th. June 1998. Attendance. 41,275. * Sudden death / Golden goal.
Paraguay:
José Luis Chilavert (GK C), Francisco Arce, Celso Ayala, Roberto Acuña,
Carlos Gamarra, Pedro Sarabia,
José' Cardoso (Aristídes Rojas 91 min),
Carlos Paredes (Denis Caniza 74 min), Julio César Enciso,
Jorge Campos
(Julio César Yegros 55 min), Miguel Benítez.
France:
Fabien Barthez (GK), Bixente Lizarazu, Laurent Blanc, Lilian Thuram,
Marcel Desailly, Didier Deschamps (C),
Emmanuel Petit (Alain Boghossian 69 min),
Bernard Diomàde (Stéphane Guivarc'h 76 min), David Trézéguet,
Youri Djorkaeff,
Thierry Henry (Robert Pires 64 min).
France went on to win the 1998 World Cup, beating Brazil 3-0 in the final.