Germany’s opening opponent Japan still has personnel worries before the start of the World Cup in Qatar. The midfielders Wataru Endo and Hidemasa Morita are still on the mend just a week before the opening game against the DFB-Elf on Wednesday (2 p.m. live on ARD and on sportschau.de), as the Japanese association announced.
Endo suffered a concussion, Morita has muscular problems. Striker Kaoru Mitoma later traveled to the training camp after being ill recently. Coach Hajime Moriyasu therefore also announced that he would moderate his strength in the last friendly against Canada this Thursday.
Key players of Japan
Stuttgart’s professional Endo and Morita are expected in the Japanese system as a double six. “I’m already feeling a lot better. I still have to rest now and then gradually prepare myself.”said Endo. He expects to be back in good shape soon. The 29-year-old Endo injured his head in the last Bundesliga week before the World Cup. Like Eintracht Frankfurt’s Daichi Kamada, he is considered a key player in the Japanese team.