Bale is almost Brazil-iant
Despite having severe reservations about Wales' tussle with world football's answer to the Harlem Globetrotters, the end result wasn't quite as terrifying as most, me included, had feared.
That we held the likes of superstars Ronaldinho, Kaka and Julio Baptista to a 0-0 scoreline at half-time was an achievement in itself, but if Earnie had tucked away the best chance of the first half when through on goal, then who knows what the end result may have been.
As it was the Welsh goal drought continues and Wales were to rue their scant missed opportunities.
Still, the game wasn’t the wasted opportunity it first threatened to be, there were some performances as illuminating as Ronaldinho's pearly whites. Gareth Bale made his first full start and did everything to justify is tag as the most talked about teenager in Britain, with a performance full of poise, control and brim full of a maturity belying his 17 years.
The highpoint of his night came when Ronaldinho tried twice to turn him inside out with the sort of bedazzling moves that usually tie defenders in knots, only for the goofy Brazilian to find himself having the ball nickedd off his toes, to huge cheers from the travelling Welsh fans.
By the time he made his half-time exit, no doubt because it was way past his bedtime, there was no one in the ground or watching on TV who would have doubted that Bale has the sort of future that fairytale scripts are written about. While not quite the Billy Elliott of football, if he progresses as quickly as he threatens to do, the Premiership could come calling sooner rather than later.
The Cardiff-born Southampton star wasn’t the only teenager to impress, Lewin Nyatanga, the former holder of the the youngest ever Wales international title, before he flicked it off his instep to Bale, put in another sterling show. One small blip in the the first half, was the only minor indiscretion from the young Derby centre-half who appears to have that fluidity of movement, class pedigree and the ability to find that extra time on the ball as fellow stylish centre-half Danny Gabbidon.
Just to underline young Lewin's confidence, a spate of backtracking and a crucial tackle by Ryan Giggs - the elder statesman of the side - was met with a word of encouragement and a cheeky pat on the Welsh captain's bottom by the disciplined and dedicated defender.
You had to smile. Bu tif that's the sor tof confidence JohNToshack si instillign in hsi young charges, then long may it continue.
In Bale and Nyatanga, as well as the equally impressive Portsmouth right-back Richard Duffy - who made some storming charges down the right flank, Wales have talented youngsters that could form the nucleus of the Wales backline for years to come.
If the Welsh players pitting their footballing wits with Brazil taught us anything it's that age old adage, if you're good enough, you're old enough.
While not quite Brazilian class, Tosh's youngsters are both good enough and old enough.
Tsk, kids today, eh...