Japan Coach Hajime Moriyasu Confident of World Cup Win Despite Mitoma Injury

Japan coach Hajime Moriyasu believes his team can win the World Cup after historic friendly wins over Brazil and England, despite the loss of Kaoru Mitoma dampening the mood. Brighton winger Mitoma will miss the World Cup after suffering a hamstring injury less than a week before Moriyasu named his squad. Japan have never gone beyond the last 16 at a World Cup but they were the first team to qualify and their soaring confidence has been boosted by impressive recent results. They have been drawn with the Netherlands, Sweden and Tunisia in Group F and they start their campaign against the Dutch in Dallas on June 14. Mitoma’s injury deprives Moriyasu of one of his most dangerous attackers but the coach still has a squad packed with European club experience. “Last year we played Brazil in a friendly and we beat them for the first time, and Mitoma wasn’t available to play in that game,” Moriyasu said.