With the adrenaline still pumping, I'll say this was the best half of football in memory, knowing that recent memory can obscure older memory.
Yes, Belgium v Japan will be a sitter for the World Cup Best lists.
For much of the second half, it was more like Japan v Belgium, and one heck of a game already with unfancied Japan taking a shock 2 - 0 lead. What came next was even better, as Belgium won 3 - 2 with virtually the last kick of the game.
The everything included.-
1) A comeback for the ages. The Golden Generation wobbled for a bit, but survived, revived, and conjured up a winning goal of sublime quality. The last team to reverse such a deficit in the knockout stage was West Germany, against England, in a 1970 quarter-final.
2) Two of the great substitutions: Belgium coach Roberto Martinez sent on Marouane Fellaini and Nacer Chadli in the 65th minute, replacing the disappointing Yannick Carrasco and Dries Mertens, who had a good first half. These replacements proved match winners.
3) Two underdogs giving it everything. Japan were underdogs for the game, Belgium are still underdogs of sorts for the tournament.
4) Fantastic goalkeeping. On the face of it, five second half goals don't say much for the custodians. But Thibaut Courtois and the 35-year-old Eiji Kawashima were superb, although the latter won't be overly happy recalling the Jan Vertonghen wonder goal.
5) Attitude. Both teams attacked the game in the second half. Bugger the penalty shoot out lottery.
6) Stunning goals. The best was Takashi Inui's long range strike. Then again, maybe it was Vertonghen's enormous, lobbed header. Then again, maybe it was the final sweeping goal-producing move from Belgium.
7) An enduring mystery. Did Vertonghen really aim that match-changing header towards goal or team mates?
8) Loads of chances. Loads.
9) End to end drama. Loads.
10) Very little aggro, just frenetic action.
11) The old emotional roller coaster, in all its gore and glory. Japan supporters were ecstatic as their players tamed this bucking bronco of a game. Sheer agony awaited.
12) A magnificent winning step over, with four minutes of added time almost up.
It's this last point which deserves so much attention.
After an exhausting 90 minutes, Japan advanced in numbers for a corner, throwing caution to the wind.
Belgium collected the ball, and Kevin de Bruyne surged, then nudged a perfectly-timed pass to the impressive Thomas Meunier on his right. He slid the ball across goal, and what happened next will seem like a slow-motion car crash to the Japanese.
Big Romelu Lukaku was enjoying a fabulous strike rate during the tournament but things weren't going his way this time.
With his instincts hardly in top shape, Lukaku zoomed towards goal and kept going, taking little Makoto Hasebe on a wild goose chase, allowing the ball to run behind them to Nacer Chadli.
Was this totally planned, or did Lukaku get in an awkward position and make the most of it? We'll take the former.
Chadli accepted the opening, with Gen Shoji arriving too late. Magic.
