Japan defender Yuta Nakayama to miss World Cup with injury

HUDDERSFIELD, England (AP) — Japan defender Yuta Nakayama will miss the World Cup after being injured in an English Championship game one day after being named in the national squad.

Nakayama damaged an Achilles tendon playing for Huddersfield against Sunderland on Wednesday.

Huddersfield said on Thursday the 25-year-old player needs surgery that will rule him out for the rest of the season.

Japan is set to be the first World Cup squad to arrive in Qatar next week, and starts its program against Germany on Nov. 23. Group E also includes Spain and Costa Rica.

’We are all devastated that Yuta will be unable to join up with Japan for the World Cup, which is an experience he had completely earned,” Huddersfield coach Mark Fotheringham said.

Injured players can be replaced in each team’s 26-man squads until the day before its first game in Qatar.

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