I was buttering my muffins the other morning when my Australian mate Nezbo called. So obviously I had to tell him how crap the Aussies are at soccer, didn't I?

Japan's 3-0 win in the Asia-Oceania Challenge Cup last Wednesday was proof that, while Australia rules cricket, rugby and . . . er . . . Aussie Rules, the Socceroos couldn't score at a Soap Land.

The Japanese, on the other hand, can be satisfied with a job well done and some more silverware for the trophy cabinet after a workmanlike performance at Shizuoka Ecopa Stadium, one of the 10 domestic venues for next year's Korea-Japan World Cup.