Japan name World Cup squad as Kaoru Mitoma ruled out with hamstring injury | OneFootball

Brighton winger Kaoru Mitoma has been left out of Japan’s World Cup squad after a hamstring injury against Wolverhampton Wanderers earlier this month, according to NY Times. The 28-year-old, limited to 27 club appearances this season, will miss the summer tournament.

Head coach Hajime Moriyasu has recalled former Arsenal full-back Takehiro Tomiyasu, now at Ajax, after injury lay-offs. Liverpool’s Wataru Endo is included. Veteran defender Yuto Nagatomo, 39, makes a fifth World Cup.

Brighton head coach Fabian Hurzeler said last weekend that Mitoma was a doubt and warned there was no clear schedule for his recovery. Moriyasu added that medical staff judged he was unlikely to return to fitness during the tournament.

There is surprise that Sporting CP midfielder Hidemasa Morita, capped 40 times, has been omitted despite featuring heavily in qualifying and captaining against Australia. Defensive midfield options are Endo and 25-year-old Mainz player Kaishu Sano.

Moriyasu has selected four strikers, Koki Ogawa, Ayase Ueda, Kento Shiogai and Keisuke Goto. Ueda has 25 league goals for Feyenoord. Goto is a target man, Shiogai a poacher, while Ogawa links play.

Mitoma is the standout absentee, though Japan are well stocked out wide with Ritsu Doan, Takefusa Kubo, Keito Nakamura and Junya Ito. Former Liverpool attacker Takumi Minamino is also out after tearing his anterior cruciate ligament in January.

Japan are in Group F with the Netherlands, Tunisia and Sweden. They face Iceland in Tokyo on May 31, then open against the Netherlands in Dallas two weeks later.

Source: NY Times