Japan lost its number one star, Vietnam team has less worries

Kaoru Mitoma suffered an ankle injury during the match against Crystal Palace in the 18th round of the Premier League on December 22nd. The player limped off the pitch with a pained expression. Mitoma later confirmed his condition, saying: "I will be out for a while, but I will come back stronger."

Kaoru Mitoma did not recover from her injury in time to participate in the 2023 Asian Cup (Photo: Getty).

Speaking at a press conference ahead of the match against Tottenham, Brighton manager De Zebri confirmed his player's condition. Accordingly, the Japanese star will be sidelined for 4-6 weeks due to injury.

When asked whether Mitoma would be able to participate in the 2023 Asian Cup, coach De Zebri said: "I'm not sure, but probably not."

Mitoma's absence is a major loss for the Japanese national team. The 1997-born player has performed outstandingly for Brighton this season and has made a significant impact. Mitoma's strengths are his dribbling ability and excellent technique.

Over the years, Mitoma has consistently been a key member of the Japanese national team. He had a successful World Cup campaign in 2022, helping the national team reach the round of 16 (losing to Croatia on penalties).

Takefusa Kubo is not yet certain to recover from his injury in time to participate in Asia's top tournament (Photo: JT).

Besides Mitoma, the Japanese national team may be missing several other stars at the 2023 Asian Cup. Recently, Takefusa Kubo suffered an injury in the match between Real Sociedad and Cadiz. The player is suspected of having a broken rib and is unlikely to recover in time to participate in the 2023 Asian Cup.

Arsenal defender Takehiro Tomiyasu is also racing against time to be fit for the Asian national team's premier tournament. He suffered an injury in early December during the match against Wolves and has not yet recovered.

In the 2023 Asian Cup, the Japanese national team is in Group D along with Vietnam, Iraq, and Indonesia. They will be Vietnam's opponent in their opening match on January 14th.

Source: https://dantri.com.vn/the-thao/nhat-ban-mat-ngoi-sao-so-mot-tuyen-viet-nam-bot-di-noi-lo-20231228103053067.htm