Worries over earthquake victims disrupt focus of Japanese players

COLOMBIA

V JAPAN

Word of a deadly earthquake in Japan and an early-morning false alarm at a team hotel have given the country’s World Cup squad some unsettling moments.

Coach Akira Nishino said he and a number of his players have acquaintances or loved ones affected by yesterday’s quake, making for an unwelcome distraction on the eve of the team’s Group H opener against Colombia in Saransk.

“The psychological impact is something I’m slightly worried about at this point,” said Nishino. “As staff members, we are consulting with them and I’d like them to be settled down as soon as possible.”

Osaka is Japan’s second-largest city. The 6.1 magnitude earthquake killed at least three people, including a nine-yearold girl, and injured hundreds.

Midfielder and captain Hasebe Makoto, pictured, speaking before his team’s practice in Saransk yesterday afternoon, said that on behalf of the team, he “would like to extend heartfelt condolences to those who’ve been affected and I hope damage can be limited as much as possible and recovery is as fast as possible”.

Makoto agreed that players with loved ones in the Osaka area “might have been negatively impacted” emotionally.

“The team as a whole would like to extend support, and I, as captain, would like to do that,” he said.

Japan players with Osaka ties include goalkeeper Masaaki Higashigushi and midfielderhotaruyamaguchi, who play professionally in Osaka, while attacking midfielder Keisuke Honda was born in the area.

Nishino said he and his players found out about the earth- quake shortly after it happened because an alarm went off at the team hotel in Saransk and blared for about 15 minutes around the same time as the earthquake struck. “The alarm continued for a while and there are some delicate, nervous players, and some of them looked a bit tired in the morning,” Nishino said. “So I assume there was some negative impact.”

On the pitch, Japan welcomed Leicester City forward Shinji Okazaki back to training after he missed the past four days to rest a nagging calf injury. “Weconductedacheck yesterday and today, and he is actually listed up as part of our team, so I’d like you to be reassured,” Nishino said.

Meanwhile, the top scorer of the 2014 World Cup is not guaranteed to play for Colombia. James Rodriguez, who scored six times in Brazil, is recovering from a left calf injury and coach Jose Pekerman would not confirm if Colombia’s star midfielder will even be on the bench for today’s game.

“We will wait for a final review on James,” Pekerman said yesterday, indicating his line-up won’t be decided until the last minute.

“We reached the last day of preparations with a high chance of having all the squad. But I do not rule out that in the last few hours we have some review to be sure.”