KYOGO FURUHASHI and Reo Hatate have been delivered a World Cup reminder from Japan manager Hajime Moriyasu.
The Celtic double-act both sat out their nation’s 2-0 win over USA in Dusseldorf yesterday as the Blue Samurai prepared for the Qatar global showpiece which is scheduled for November 21 to December 18.
Striker Kyogo remained on the bench throughout the 90 minutes while midfielder Hatate didn’t make the stripped squad, as CQN reported yesterday.
Daizen Maeda played in the first-half before being replaced at the interval as the international boss utilised his squad with the final warm-up due against Ecuador at the same German venue on Tuesday afternoon.
ON THE RUN…Daizen Maeda played 45 minutes for Japan in the 2-0 win over USA.
Moriyasu, speaking in a Daily Record report, said: “It’s important to win, of course, but it’s about competition.
“It’s not just about the World Cup and I think the players naturally understand it. I want to see positively that there are so many good players.
“However, we have to play with high intensity, so we need to use the substitution quotas so that we can win firmly.
“We won’t win with just 11 players, but we will win with the substitution quotas and the bench, as well.”
After the match against Ecuador, the Hoops’ Japanese trio will return to Lennoxtown to prepare for the visit of Motherwell as the Premiership resumes a week today.
