In World Cup Football yesterday, Italy got their title defence off to a stuttering start when they needed to come from a goal down to draw 1-1 with Paraguay in a Group F match. On a cold and wet night in CapeTown, the South Americans stunned the four-time champions by taking the lead in the 39th minute. Antolin Alcaraz outjumped ageing Italy captain Fabio Cannavaro and Daniele De Rossi to head home a cross. De Rossi scored the equaliser for Italy eight minutes into the second half, capitalising on rival goalkeeper Justo Villar's failure to clear a corner. In the Group 'E' match played at the Soccer City Stadium in Johannesburg, the Netherlands recorded a comfortable 2-0 victory against Denmark. The Dutch were gifted a self-goal in the 46th minute to forge ahead. Later, striker Dirk Kuyt produced a goal just five minutes before the final whistle to give his team full points. In another Group E fixture at the Free State Stadium in Bloemfontein, Japan defeated one of Africa's brightest hopes, Cameroon One-Nil. Keisuke Honda scored the all-important goal in the 39th minute. It is Japan's first World Cup victory on foreign soil. Their only two previous wins in the World Cup Finals came in 2002 as joint hosts of the tournament with South Korea.For Cameroon, the result marked their first defeat in a World Cup opening game having previously beaten reigning champions Argentina in 1990 and drawn on the four other occasions.