Reo Hatate and Daizen Maeda have been named in the Japan squad for the World Cup qualifiers against Australia and Vietnam.Â
Hajime Moriyasu recently made a week long visit to Europe to catch up with his players ahead of two crucial matches with the 24th of March game away to Australia likely to be decisive.Â
Japan are three points ahead of Australia with two matches left to play, Saudi Arabia look certain to qualify with a four point advantage over the Socceroos. Â
The top two nations qualify for the World Cup Finals with the third placed side facing a play-off against the third placed nation in the other Asian group.Â
Japan complete their qualifiers at home to Vietnam on March 29 giving the Celtic duo five days to prepare for the Glasgow derby on April 3.Â
MF/FW
Yuya Osako
Genki Haraguchi
Gaku Shibasaki
Wataru Endo
Junya Ito
Takuma Asano
Takumi Minamino
Hidemasa Morita
Kaoru Mitoma
Daizen Maeda
Reo Hatate
Ayase Ueda
Ao Tanaka
Takefusa Kubo— Dan Orlowitz (@aishiterutokyo) March 16, 2022
Hatate has still to be earn a full international cap but clearly his early form at Celtic has made an impression on Moriyasu.Â
Last month Maeda came on as a substitute against Saudi Arabia on February 1 then came off the bench the next day in the Glasgow derby.Â
CLICK HERE for Hatate’s international record, capped up to u-23 level.