Junichi Inamoto and Arsene Wenger were brought together by Japanese television after the game in Yokohama, to the discomfort of both. "It was the moment I was dreading most," said the Japanese midfielder, who is emerging as one of the stars of the tournament after playing no part in Arsenal's Double triumph last season.

And the ever urbane Wenger may even have been a little disturbed. "It's not a good time to talk about whether he's leaving Arsenal or staying," said his column in Sankei Sports.

This turns out to be a lie - or, as we say in the media business, a transmission error. Arsenal have already told Inamoto that he can leave and they are so anxious to be rid of him they are ready to write off all the £4 million they paid Gamba Osaka last year.

A Scot was in a coma last night after falling from a stand during the game between Portugal and Poland in the city of Jeonju. World Cup officials are investigating exactly how it happened. A Polish man also fell from the same stand and landed on seats but was not seriously hurt. The falls were said to unconnected.

South Korea yesterday deployed tens of thousands of police in Taegu and Seoul to stop soccer passions spilling over into protests against the US and its 37,000 troops in the country while the South Korean army deployed 1,000 soldiers in the Taegu area to guard against possible September 11th-style attacks.