SAMURAI BLUE (Japan National Team) coach Vahid HALILHODZIC had a media conference at JFA House in Tokyo on Thursday 27 August and announced his 23-man squad for the 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia Asian Qualifiers Round 2, also held as the AFC Asian Cup UAE 2019 Qualifiers, against Cambodia (3 September in Saitama) and Afghanistan (8 September in Tehran).

Halilhodzic says, "The Cambodia match is the last one of the year to be played in Japan. We hope to finish the year beautifully. We will win it and boost ourselves up for the away contest."

The squad for the two matches include forward HONDA Keisuke (AC Milan), forward OKAZAKI Shinji (Leicester City Football Club), midfielder KAGAWA Shinji (Borussia Dortmund) and defender NAGATOMO Yuto (FC Internazionale Milano) as well as forward MUTO Yoshinori, who just joined German club Mainz in July, and forward USAMI Takashi (Gamba Osaka), who is the current top scorer in the J1 League. 

Defender YONEKURA Koki (Gamba Osaka) and midfielder ENDO Wataru (Shonan Bellmare) were also named after their debut with the national team in the EAFF East Asian Cup earlier this month.

Japan coach says of those players, "Yonekura's got fighting spirit and can get involved in goals. Endo's got physical strength, good shots and hard-working. This is a message for domestic players that they can be called up to the national team if they play their game."

On the other hand, goalkeeper KAWASHIMA Eiji was not selected since his next club to play has not been determined after leaving Royal Standard de Liege. It is the first time in seven years that he was not selected to the team. Halilhodzic says, "It's hard to find his replacement, but the three players I called up this time have been solid so far. I want them to play with confidence."

Japan ended up in a scoreless draw in the opening match of the World Cup Qualifiers / Asian Cup Qualifiers against Singapore at home in June. Then, the Halilhodzic side finished the EAFF East Asian Cup in Wuhan, China earlier this month with one loss and two ties and have not earned any win in the last four matches.

"It's the first time in my life for me not to get any win in four matches," says Halilhodzic. "I expect the Cambodia match is going to be similar to the Singapore match, but we can't repeat that same outcome. We are set in details. We need to score and win it."

The team will start a camp on 31 August and have training to get ready for the upcoming matches. While the fixture against Cambodia takes place on 3 September at Saitama Stadium 2002, the Afghanistan match is to be held on 8 in a neutral place in Tehran, Iran in consideration of Afghanistan's internal situation.

Comments

Vahid HALILHODZIC, Coach of SAMURAI BLUE (Japan National Team)
The Cambodia match is the last one of the year to be played in Japan. We hope to finish the year beautifully. To live up to your expectation and put up a good result, the team and the players all get together to play an effective game to boost ourselves up for the next away match and to put up another good result. Cambodia's five defenders play with a tight defensive block, and the team play on counterattacks.

I expect the match is going to be similar to the Singapore match, but we don't want to repeat that same outcome. We prepare detailed, various options against Cambodia and other teams. During the practice ahead of the Cambodia match, we focus on tactics and adjust a lot of stuff. Saitama fans are wonderful, so we can't make an excuse again. We need to score and win it, and play a match everyone can be satisfied with.

SHIMODA Masahiro, JFA National Technical Director
As we focus on the battle at hand and each one of matches, we try to build up our base. The contest against Cambodia is the last home match of the year. We will play to deliver a good result to fans. Thank you for your support.

JFA-TV (Japanese version only)

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