Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Tokyo: Japan head coach Vahid Halilhodzic has urged his side to reignite their 2018 FIFA World Cup and AFC Asian Cup 2019 joint qualifying campaign, starting with next Thursday’s clash with Cambodia.
The four-time AFC Asian Cup champions began their latest quest for glory with a disappointing 0-0 Group E draw at home to Singapore in June, a result that leaves Halilhodzic and the Samurai Blue desperate to beat the Cambodians before travelling to Iran to face Afghanistan on September 8.
"We don't want to make excuses a second time,” Halilhodzic, who has now not registered a won in four games, told reporters.
“We have to score and produce a performance that we can all be satisfied with.
"I have big hopes for the Cambodia match and hopefully the players will be fired up and win. Then I want them to win the away game too. After that I will be able to sleep better," he added.
2018 FIFA World Cup and AFC Asian Cup 2019 Qualifying Matchday 3 & 4 Fixtures
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Experienced goalkeeper Eiji Kawashima will not, however, be a part of Halilhodzic’s plans for the upcoming fixtures, after the former Standard Liege custodian was omitted from the Japan squad.
Kawashima left the Belgian side last month and has still to secure a contract elsewhere, leaving a trio of goalkeepers in the shape of Yuji Rokutan, Masaaki Higashiguchi and Shusaku Nishikawa vying to be their country’s number one between the posts.
"He has been the first-choice Japan goalkeeper for the past four or five years and I am a bit surprised that he hasn't found a club in Europe yet," Halilhodzic explained..
"I hope he can keep going and find a new club quickly.
"There aren't many players that can replace Kawashima but the three players I have picked have done well and there is no problem with them being on this list. I want them to seize their chance and show confidence."
Japan Squad v Cambodia and Afghanistan:
Goalkeepers: Shusaku Nishikawa (Urawa Reds), Masaaki Higashiguchi (Gamba Osaka), Yuji Rokutan (Vegalta Sendai)
Defenders: Maya Yoshida (Southampton), Daiki Niwa (Gamba Osaka), Tomoaki Makino (Urawa Reds), Hiroki Sakai (Hanover 96, Germany), Gotoku Sakai (VfB Stuttgart), Koki Yonekura (Gamba Osaka), Yuto Nagatomo (Inter Milan)
Midfielders: Makoto Hasebe (Eintracht Frankfurt), Hotaru Yamaguchi (Cerezo Osaka), Wataru Endo (Bellmare), Gaku Shibasaki (Kashima Antlers), Genki Haraguchi (Hertha Berlin), Shinji Kagawa (Borussia Dortmund)