There was a piece in the works about Spain's four extremely exciting young players, I promise.
Pedri was running the game at times in first half, Gavi was a bundle of energy and enthusiasm, Nico Williams is eye-catchingly quick and Alejandro Balde, at 19, was playing like someone with the assuredness of a 29-year-old.
Spain ran the first half at the Khalifa International Stadium, and although there were one or two slightly hairy moments when they dallied on the ball at the back, inviting the Japanese press, that was of course all in the plan.
Nine times out of 10 they had beaten that press and were attacking.
It had all seemed pretty serene then, and although they only had Alvaro Morata's header to show for their dominance, Spain were sitting on top of Group E and primed for a leisurely finish to the first part of what they hope will be a deep World Cup run.
With Germany beating Costa Rica in the night's other game, it was all so far, so expected.
But we should have learned to expect the unexpected a long time ago in this tournament.
With Japan clearly sensing that this was now or never for them, they burst into the second half and were helped by two attacking substitutions from manager Hajime Moriyasu.
Their pressing suddenly seemed more tactical and controlled, and after the jittery Unai Simon and the previously flawless Balde were caught on the ball, one of those changes, Ritsu Doan, let fly with an effort that Simon should have saved but didn't. A bolt from the Samurai Blue.
Okay, we thought, there has been a little flurry from the Japanese and they've been rewarded, but surely Spain will simply retake control now, but they'd been completely knocked out of their stride.
Five minutes later the other change, Brighton's Kaoru Mitoma who always looks so impressive, stretched to try and keep a ball in play and knocked it back for Ao Tanaka to bundle in, but the ball was surely out.
Japanese celebrations were cut short and a lull descended on the stadium. The first replay on the big screen, a side-on angle of Mitoma and the ball, confirmed what we all thought and that it was indeed out. Everyone puffed their cheeks and wondered what else this second half had in store.
Once it restarted.
Why hasn't it restarted yet?
What's taking them so long?
Exasperated voices could be heard all around as we wondered what on earth the problem was, until the close up of South African referee Victor Gomes revealed what was about to happen. They were going to give the goal.
Rarely has the difference between what you think you've just seen with your own eyes and what you are now seeing been this stark inside a football stadium.
The ball looked out, you know there is technology for this sort of thing and yet here Japan's players were tearing around the pitch in celebration. The substitutes ran on en masse.
It was head-scratcher and it completely changed the make-up of this group, as shown on the big screen when the current table had Japan top, Spain second and Germany out with Costa Rica.
Suddenly the Germans were powerless. Well, powerless to save themselves anyway. They could always take Spain down with them.
The next 15 minutes were something of a blur, with many in the press box opting to change the channel on the screens in front of them - a valuable tool for double-checking things when writing match reports - from the Spain game to the Germany one.
It meant that roughly five minutes after Tanaka's goal we all saw Yeltsin Tejeda fire past Manuel Neuer, and then three minutes after that Jamal Musiala hit a post.
Spanish media were getting agitated, and then came the disbelief when Neuer's own goal put Costa Rica ahead and, for about three minutes, going through.
The big screen soon reflected this fact, with the sight of Japan and Costa Rica progressing and Spain and Germany out forcing many to rub their eyes in disbelief. It just didn't look real.
Pedri would later insist that he was aware of Spain's peril, saying "we knew we were out", but in the end it was the action on the small screens which saved the Spanish, not on the pitch.
Kai Havertz's brace and Niclas Fullkrug's strike dragged Costa Rica back down below a side they lost 7-0 to earlier in this tournament, and as Spain chased the goal that would do Germany a massive favour, Japan defended brilliantly.
But did it all work out rather well for Spain regardless? They'll now play Morocco in the last-16 and not Croatia, and although Germany hadn't looked terrific at this tournament they are at least a dangerous opponent who have been removed. Spain also now can't meet Brazil until the final.
"That has nothing to do with it," insisted Sergio Busquets. "We wanted to win and be first.
"We go to the other side of the bracket, but that does not guarantee that it will be easier or more difficult."
He's probably right in fairness, given how this tournament has unfolded.
As Spanish players, fans and media all puffed out their cheeks at full-time, they're just happy to still be here.
