IT was raining cats and dogs in Daegu yesterday.

There were smiling faces in the stalls, and no wonder, as South Korea took a further step towards the second round and the heavens sent forth lashings of the national delicacy.

The two host nations have given us an excellent competition, with no shortage of exciting football and plenty of goals, not to mention plenty of surprises.

But it has been great to see how the Koreans and Japanese have taken the footballing nations of the world to their hearts and enthralling to see the locals get behind their adopted teams. I can't forget a group of Japanese lads swinging their blue and white striped shirts around their heads at the Argentina-Nigeria game with all the macho gusto of natives of Buenos Aires rather than Ibaraki.

Although there have been empty seats, that has been a problem at most recent international tournaments.

The atmosphere within the grounds has transferred well through the television pictures, an abiding memory has been the sea of red in the stands which accompanies every Korean game.

We may giggle at the little eccentricities of the Far East hosts, but they have thus far provided a memorable tournament.