Japan football manager Moriyasu announces lineup changes for Venezuela match

Japan national football team manager Hajime Moriyasu has announced plans for significant lineup changes ahead of the Kirin Challenge Cup match against Venezuela in Hiroshima. Moriyasu intends to prioritize the development of younger players and those earning their first caps, aiming to test their ability to handle high-intensity competition.

Due to injuries, defender Ko Itakura will miss the match after sustaining an ankle injury, and Tomoya Ando remains unavailable due to back pain. Moriyasu also issued an unusual request to the media, asking for more respect toward players. He addressed recent reports regarding a supposed heated confrontation between Ritsu Doan and Keito Shioya during training, stating that while players do have constructive disagreements, the reported aggressive behavior was inaccurate and hurtful to the athletes.

In separate youth competition news, the Japan U-21 team advanced to the semi-finals of the Asian Games after defeating North Korea 1-0 in a quarter-final match at Toyota Stadium. The victory follows a dominant group stage performance, though concerns were raised regarding the deteriorating condition of the pitch at the stadium due to heavy usage and extreme summer heat.