The occasion -- a crucial World Cup game. The venue -- National Stadium, Tokyo. The teams -- Japan and South Korea. The result -- a resounding win for Japan.
Unfortunately for Monsieur Troussier and his "Boys in Blue" and their millions of fans, this was not the round ball version of the tournament but a qualifying game for the oval ball version.
However, for the 25,000 fans who graced the former Olympic Stadium, the 90-24 win was just as important and just as impressive as anything the national soccer team has achieved.