Watford defender Christian Kabasele played 90 minutes as Belgium scored the only goal of the game to beat Japan 1-0 in Brussels last night.
Romelu Lukaku took the headlines with his second-half goal, but Kabasele, in a back three with Jan Vertonghen and Thomas Vermaelen, helped keep their Asian opponents at bay.
The 26-year-old was making his return from injury after he was stretchered off nine minutes from time in Watford's Premier League game at Everton last week.
And the popular defender felt after a brief period of getting used to one anothers' play, the Red Devils' defence had worked well to thwart Japan.
"It's clear that we needed a little adaptation period, that there were movements to study, and that their attackers were fast, lively, and technical," he said.
"But we did not give them too much. All in all, we managed rather well, of course, we still have to refine some of the details, the good and the bad, and it may not be the best game of my season. I'm still in the learning period and it's in a match like that that we learn."
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