World Cup Group H: Japan 2 Belgium 2

Much to the delight of the South Korean supporters, Belgium came back from the brink of defeat to stop co-hosts Japan from kicking off the tournament with a win. Tournament officials who claim there's no rivalry between the two host nations surely weren't watching the reaction of the South Korean fans when news filtered through that

Peter van der Hayden had scored a late equaliser for Belgium.

Japan will be pleased to have secured their first ever World Cup point with this 2-2 draw in the Group H opener but annoyed that they couldn't hold out for all three after coming from behind to lead the match.

After a goaless first half, the game exploded into life in the second half when Belgium captain Marc Wilmots scored the first goal of the game. Japan responded immediately and goals from Takayuki Suzuki and Junichi Inamoto turned the game on its head. Then came Van der Heyden's goal. Misery for Japan, joy for South Korea.

Final score: Japan 2 Belgium 2