Well over 50,000 Urawa Reds fans made their way to Saitama Stadium on Sunday night to see their team take on former Barcelona legend Andres Iniesta and Germany great Lukas Podolski.
They may have only gotten half of what they came for, but they surely left satisfied after Urawa's 4-0 victory over Vissel Kobe sent them up to eighth in the J. League first division table.
Iniesta's absence from the squad was one of several changes made by Vissel's interim manager Kentaro Hayashi, who is keeping the dugout seat warm until newly-appointed tactician Juan Manuel Lillo receives his work permit. Thai fullback Theerathon, a regular for Kobe on the left flank, was one of several regulars who started on the bench.