Doha, December 04 (QNA) - The Japanese national team will regain the efforts of its player Takehiro Tomiyasu against the Croatian national team Monday in the round of 16 of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022.

The defender of the English Arsenal team Tomiyasu is ready to participate as a starter for the first time after recovering from a thigh injury and may participate in the match instead of Kou Itakura in the starting line-up for the Japanese national team.

Tomiyasu said before facing the Croatian national team Monday that he is very happy that they have crossed the group stage, but their focus is on reaching the quarter-finals, so they need to achieve another victory.

For his part, the German defender of Borussia Monchengladbach Itakura, who will miss the match due to receiving two yellow cards in the group stage, said that he thinks that every player in the team will do their best, adding that he will support the team and encourage them from abroad.

The Japanese national team qualified for the round of 16 after topping Group E, which included Germany, Spain, and Costa Rica, by obtaining 6 points from two victories over Germany with the score of 1-2 and Spain with the same result while losing 1-0 from Costa Rica.

(QNA)