Japan 1, Paris Saint Germain 0

JAPAN earned their first points of the competition as cruel luck consigned PSG to their second 0-1 defeat in as many days. Football can be a cruel game. Moments of magic will always thrill a crowd and get spectators cheering a player’s every touch. But an own goal, especially one that decides a match, will leave that same player feeling helplessly alone.

PSG skipper Boukary Drame, who otherwise did not put a foot wrong, was the undeserving culprit at Foote’s Lane yesterday evening.

In the 10th minute three players converged on a hopeful punt over the top. As they came together at the edge of the box, Drame stuck out a leg to deny the tall Japan forward Rui Komatasu a shooting chance, only for the ball to loop almost in slow motion over the advancing Nicolas Cousin.

Komatasu regularly troubled the reds’ defence with his height, though the back line was mostly competent and assured. PSG had pace in attack from the buzzing Rudy Haddad but created few clear chances, though one second-half snap shot clipped the top of the bar.

Japan’s Shinji Tsujio clattered Cousin’s right post after crafty close control from Shingo Akamine on the left by-line late in the second period, by which time the majority of the crowd were willing the French to draw level.

The match attracted a surprisingly slim attendance. On a fine evening, with two teams playing attractive football, probably only 400 people were scattered around the running track or seated in the Garenne Stand.

Those that stayed away missed an entertaining affair – not a classic, but with enough quality play on show to more than warrant the entrance fee.

‘We always expected that this might be the case,’ said organiser Iain MacKenzie.

‘But [tonight's] match between Boca Juniors and Rangers should get a bigger crowd.’

Both those sides won their opening match. A win tonight will all but assure them of overall victory.

Yesterday was more about pride and there was plenty of passion in a cluttered midfield.

Occasionally it spilled over – Steve Guillerme dismissed for a second bookable offence and two others also seeing yellow – but the assured Matt Walsh was among the best performers on the park.