Santa Cruz beat keeper Ri Myong Guk after the referee ruled substitute Nam Song Chol had handled the ball in the area.

Paraguay hit the post twice in a seven-minute spell midway through the second half.

Choe Kum Chol had North Korea’s best chance in the 35th but lifted his shot over the bar.

North Korea (12/1 to qualify from Group G) were without Japan-based An Yong Hak and Jong Tae Se who had not been released by their clubs.
Santa Cruz, who had looked off the pace for most of the match, stroked his shot high into the net to settle the match.

Marcelo Estigarribia and Eduardo Ledesma hit the post for Paraguay while Ri Jung-il nearly turned Jonathan Santana’s low cross into his own goal as the South Americans had the best of the second half.

North Korea, who drew 0-0 with South Africa in their previous match, defended tenaciously and showed flashes of skill in attack as they occasionally threatened Diego Barreto’s goal.

Lacking physical bulk, the North Koreans rarely troubled Paraguayan goalkeeper Diego Barreto despite the darting efforts of home bred North Korean striker Mun In-Guk and Russian league player Hong Yong-Jo.

Both teams are holding training camps in the region, Paraguay (7/2 to win Group F) in Evains-Les-Bains on the French side of Lake Geneva and North Korea in the Alpine village of Ayent.

Paraguayan coach Gerardo Martino admitted afterwards that his side had tailed off in the first half against the organised Korean defence, despite a clear athletic advantage in one-on-one challenges.

“That’s the characteristic of the North Korean team,” he said. “They defend well, can create difficult situations near goal, and are very quick on the break.”

“In the first half we weren’t very productive except for the first ten minutes,” Martino added.

But Paraguay picked up the pace in the second half, as Santa Cruz pressured the North Koreans into errors.

Long range shots from Marcelo Estigarribia and Eduardo Ledesma hit the woodwork before the penalty finally gave Paraguay the scoreline to reflect their efforts.

Paraguay next play Ireland in Dublin on May 25, the same day North Korea meet fellow World Cup qualifier Greece in Austria.

Paraguay are in Group F at the World Cup, which starts on June 11, with champions Italy, New Zealand and Slovakia.

North Korea are in Group G with Brazil, Portugal and Ivory Coast.

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