Did these four sides have anything in common? Sure. Elimination at the group stage would be treated as failure. One group coach, Japan's Philippe TROUSSIER, said after the draw that scouting would be key. "It will be important to collect as much information about our opponents as possible over the next six months."

TUNISIA
Tunisia made three coaching changes between the start of qualifying and the start of Korea/Japan 2002. Is it any wonder they wound up as Africa's embarrassment? Francesco SCOGLIO started qualifying, and Eckhard KRAUTZEN finished it. Then, Henri MICHEL spent only four months at the reins, handing over to a tag team of Ammar SOUAYAH and Khemaies LAABIDI.

Tunisia's best performance came against Belgium, when they equalised just four minutes after Marc WILMOTS's goal for Belgium. Even so, Tunisia played overwhelmingly defensively throughout their three matches, and like Italy and Spain, their negative style backfired. The Belgium draw was bookended by 2-0 defeats at the hands of Russia and Japan. The Carthage Eagles would go home having managed only six shots on goal - fewer than China PR or Saudi Arabia - in their three matches.

RUSSIA
A frantically paced Japan-Russia match gave the fans their money's worth, but Russia's opportunities did not pay off. Marat IZMAILOV blazed a shot just wide of Japan's goal in the sixteenth minute, and shortly after entering in the 57th minute, Vladimir BESCHASTNYKH missed after getting past goalkeeper Seigo NARAZAKI. Japan would win 1-0, leaving Russia in need of a draw to sidestep Belgium for second place.

In that match, Beschastnykh was perfectly placed to score Russia's equaliser after teammate Dmitri SYCHEV had his shot deflected at the last second by goalkeeper Geert DE VLIEGER. Russia, though, conceded the all important goal with twelve minutes left and let in another four minutes later, but their veritable assault on de Vlieger's goal would yield just one. After coach Oleg ROMANTSEV resigned, vice presidents at two Russian oil companies offered to pay up to US$1,000,000 annually for the Russian Football Union to hire a foreign coach.

BELGIUM
Nike executives must have been laughing throughout the tournament - somehow they persuaded two teams to wear outlandish radioactive kits - Nigeria green and Belgium orange. "If it's a sunny day, the reflections will burn holes in your opponents' corneas!" "Perfect! I'll take it!"

Nonetheless, Belgium, not normally known for their attacking prowess, had much to do with making Group H the most exciting of the first round. Those who headed to the bathrooms at Saitama Stadium 2002 may well have missed the action: Wilmots scored on a spectacular 57th minute bicycle kick, and Takayuki SUZUKI came back to score one for Japan only two minutes later. Junichi INAMOTO's goahead goal in the 68th was neutralised seven minutes later by Peter VAN DER HEYDEN. The 1-1 draw with Tunisia left neither side happy, and only the late goals by Wilmots and Wesley SONCK got the Orange Devils into the second round.

They succeeded in holding Brazil scoreless for more than sixty minutes, a feat unmatched by any of Brazil's previous opponents. But they went down 2-0 to second half goals by RONALDO and RIVALDO. Belgium's disciplinary record [seven yellows, no reds in seven matches] earned them the Fair Play award.

JAPAN
The ecstatic Japanese supporters at the Belgium opener were rewarded with a great evening of football, and nearly with a Japan win. Inamoto had a last second goal brought back after a foul was called, though Japan would get their first World Cup win from Russia on a valid Inamoto goal. Tunisia posed little threat, and the cohosts were on their way to the second round. Boosted by a massive home crowd, Japan were unable to turn their possession advantage into a scoreboard advantage, losing out to Turkey on a 12th minute goal off the mohawk of Umit DAVALA. The Japanese side may have been overshadowed by the Korea Rep show, but Asia can be proud of both hosts' performances.

"Troussier's side seems to be well prepared to make that all important leap. Russia are also ready to move through." Russia could not move through, giving us a partial failure in this prediction. And now that Japan have made that all important leap, will they set their goals too high in four years?