Paraguay coach Gerardo Martino has leapt to the defence of his goal-shy attack ahead of Saturday's World Cup quarter-final with Spain in Johannesburg.  

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Martino has steered Paraguay to their first ever last-eight appearance at football's biggest tournament on the strength of a series of solid defensive displays.  

But the trio of Manchester City's Roque Santa Cruz and Borussia Dortmund's Lucas Barrios and Nelson Valdez have all failed to find the net.  

Paraguay needed penalties to overcome Japan in the last 16 after 120 minutes had failed to produce a goal.  

They have managed just three goals in four matches and have clearly been missing Salvador Cabanas, their leading scorer during the qualifiers. he was shot in the head in a Mexican bar in January and is still recovering at home.  

But Martino believes the negative approach of Paraguay's opponents has not helped their cause.  

He said: 'One mustn't be too hard on our strikers. If they aren't scoring well, maybe it's because the balls aren't arriving fast enough to them.  

'To score goals, you need to receive the ball in advantageous positions. I wouldn't like to be unfair to the strikers.  

'I also hope that our next opponents will allow us to play differently and it won't be simply down to us to dictate the game.  

'Against Spain, we should have more space, because they play to win.  

'In three of our games so far, we've had to take the game to our opponents.'