(Photo credit score: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images)
Japan will not have star winger Takefusa Kubo for his or her World Cup spherical of 32 match vs. Brazil on Monday in Houston.
Kubo suffered a meniscus tear in his left knee throughout Japan’s event opener in opposition to the Netherlands on June 14. He was held out of the Samurai Blue’s remaining group-stage matches in opposition to Tunisia and Sweden as he rehabbed his knee.
Kubo — nicknamed ‘the Japanese Messi’ — skilled individually from his teammates on Sunday within the portion of follow open to media. But coach Hajime Moriyasu eliminated any query about Kubo’s standing later within the day.
‘He’s nonetheless solely doing particular person working (and) coaching, so he isn’t going to play within the match in opposition to Brazil,’ Moriyasu stated. ‘We actually want for him to get better swiftly, and he needs it, too.’
Japan had been nonetheless capable of end second in Group F with out Kubo’s providers to safe development. They have reached the knockouts in three straight World Cups and 4 of the previous 5, however Brazil signify a serious problem.
‘Brazil are all the time a number one staff,’ Moriyasu stated. ‘They have an excellent probability of profitable. Some folks will say Japan are underdogs. We will play with that in thoughts.
‘We will respect the opponents however like final yr (within the pleasant win) we weren’t given an opportunity to win. This chance to win — we will change historical past.’
–Field Level Media