Our boys took the lead early but JOEpan, sorry Japan, eventually lost 2-1 to Ivory Coast.
Thanks to this superb strike by Keisuke Honda it was looking very good for our adopted nation in the early hours of this morning.
But the Samurai Blue saw their lead evaporate in three mad second half minutes as Wilfried Bony and Gervinho both scored to get the African team off to a fine start in Group C.
Our boys aren’t done yet, but they now face what looks like a must win against Greece on Thursday in Natal.