After "Le Flop" in Paris in March, Japan gave us "El Yawno" in Cordoba on Wednesday, holding Spain scoreless for 92 minutes until a moment of madness from Koji Nakata led to an injury-time winner from substitute Ruben Baraja.
Japan coach Philippe Troussier insisted afterward that his side's dogged, if unspectacular, performance at Nuevo Arcangel Stadium has given him a "platform to build on" for next year's Korea-Japan World Cup. Probably so, but with one or two reservations.
Common sense plainly dictated that the Japanese would have to batten down the hatches and show more resilience against Spain after their game plan went garlic-shaped in the 5-0 humiliation by France.