Kaoru Mitoma’s World Cup Participation in Doubt Due to Hamstring Injury

Kaoru Mitoma’s availability for Japan in the World Cup is uncertain after the Brighton midfielder suffered a hamstring injury last weekend.

Mitoma will miss Brighton’s final two matches of the Premier League season, starting with Saturday’s game at Leeds.

“Regarding the World Cup, I’m not sure yet. We’ll be in touch with the Japan federation,” Brighton manager Fabian Hurzeler told reporters Thursday. “We really have to be patient with this injury; we cannot give a clear schedule.”

Mitoma, 28, has scored nine goals in 31 appearances for Japan, and Hurzeler noted he had “a big impact on our performances.”

Japan manager Hajime Moriyasu is set to announce his 26-player roster on Friday.

Japan plans to play its final pre-World Cup friendly against Iceland on May 31, before heading to its base camp in Nashville, Tenn. The team will train at the Nashville SC Training Center.

The Japanese squad will commence Group F play against the Netherlands in Arlington, Texas on June 14, followed by matches against Tunisia in Monterrey, Mexico on June 20, and Sweden back in Arlington on June 25.