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TOKYO – Striker Shuto Machino has replaced injured Yuta Nakayama in Japan’s squad for the World Cup this month, its football association said today.
The 23-year-old’s call-up is not a like-for-like swap because Nakayama is a full-back.
“Off I go!” Shonan Bellmare forward Machino, who has scored three times in four appearances for Japan, tweeted.
Nakayama was named in the original 26-man squad for Qatar and had been expected to play in Group E games against Germany, Costa Rica and Spain.
But last week he sustained an Achilles’ tendon injury while playing for English side Huddersfield Town.
Huddersfield said the 25-year-old would require surgery that will rule him out for the rest of the Championship season.
Japan launch their World Cup campaign against Germany on November 23, before taking on Costa Rica on November 27 and Spain on December 1. – AFP, November 8, 2022
