Japan Call On Kaoru Mitoma To Help Erase Asian Cup 'Frustration'
Brighton winger Kaoru Mitoma was named in Japan's Asian Cup squad on Monday despite an ankle injury, as coach Hajime Moriyasu looks to erase the "frustration" of their 2019 final defeat. Brighton coach Roberto De Zerbi said last week that Mitoma would be out for up to six weeks after hurting his ankle in a 1-1 draw with Crystal Palace on December 21. But Moriyasu still included the player in his 26-man squad for the Asian Cup in Qatar, which kicks off on January 12. "Given his current injury situation, I don't know if he will be ready to play in the first game or not," Moriyasu said of the 26-year-old. "But I have been told by the national team medical staff and his club medical staff that I will be able to use him early in the tournament when he comes back from injury."
