(Christopher Weaver is a freelance writer and BPL Citizen Journalist.)

Firstly, an admission - I did not make it through to the end of Australia's opening Asian Cup game against India. It was too painful to watch Australia's drilled professionals take their raw opponents apart. 

Twenty-seven years after it last played in the tournament, India returned to the continent's premier competition and was on the end of a drubbing. India qualified for the tournament by winning the 2008 AFC Challenge Cup, a biennial competition designed for the weakest sides in Asia to gain representation at the Asian Cup. 

India's loss came a day after China survived a rally by 10-man Kuwait to win its first match. It was a listless performance by a side looking to avenge early elimination from the 2007 tournament. China looked clunky at times, yet claimed the required result. 

Despite boasting the planet's two largest populations, China and India are footballing minnows. The world's most popular sport attracts great interest in both nations, yet the fervour is not apparent on the playing field. Obsessive interest in the English Premier League may be inspiring a new generation of fervent soccer ambitions, but we may have to wait to see the legacy. 

Soccer remains one of the last bastions of European dominance and innovation. India's coach is Bob Houghton, a veteran English trainer whose 40 years in management have seen him direct nearly 20 national and club teams across three continents. A close associate of recently departed Liverpool boss Roy Hodgson, the highlight of Houghton's distinguished career occurred when he took Swedish club Malmö to the 1979 European Cup Final. 

Along with Socceroos coach Holger Osieck, he represents the prevailing view that European or South American knowledge is vital to the construction of successful teams in soccer's developing world. 

After the 4-0 loss, Houghton praised his side for keeping their shape and endeavour. Enthusiasm has always been present in India, which boasts one of the world's fiercest footballing rivalries - the Kolkata derby between Mohun Bagan and East Bengal. Organisation, though, remains a problem. The national team is under-resourced and had to travel to Portugal and Dubai to find adequate pre-tournament training venues. 

China, meanwhile, faces stiff opposition in its remaining matches. Next up is tournament host Qatar, while the side rounds out its group fixtures with a tie against Uzbekistan - a team many believe could win the tournament. Coach Gao Hongbo has overseen a mini-renaissance for 'The Great Wall', whose 2010 results included an historic first victory over regional powerhouse South Korea. 

India and China have emerged as financial superpowers during the past decade. However where another global stage is concerned, they are still taking baby steps.