Japan's Olympic soccer team gave itself a confidence boost with a credible performance against defending champion Argentina on Tuesday night, before a thunderstorm forced the match to be abandoned with Japan trailing 1-0.
Yasuharu Sorimachi's men, inspired by swashbuckling right-back Atsuto Uchida, held their own against an Argentina team featuring Juan Roman Riquelme, Javier Mascherano and Sergio Aguero, before finally succumbing to a sublime goal from Angel Di Maria midway through the second half.
Uchida asked questions of the Argentine defense throughout the match, with midfielders Keisuke Honda and Hiroyuki Taniguchi also impressive in a match cut seven minutes short at National Stadium.