Japan ace Shingi Kagawa focused on Ghana friendly clash today

Borussia Dortmund midfielder Shinji Kagawa has expressed his readiness ahead of the international friendly clash against Ghana on Wednesday.

The Blue Samurai will face the Black Stars in a friendly encounter at the Nissan Stadium on Wednesday as they aim to use the game to finalize their World Cup squad before meeting FIFA's deadline.

Meanwhile, Ghana’s coach Kwesi Appiah will use the match to fine-tune his side for the 2019 AFCON qualifier in September, having failed to secure a ticket for this summer’s World Cup in Russia.

Speaking ahead of the game, Kagawa, who spent large chunks of the club season on the sidelines through either injury or poor form, declared his preparedness for today's encounter at the Nissan Stadium.

“It’s been a long camp and I’ve been able to concentrate every day,” said midfielder Shinji Kagawa, who returned to action with Borussia Dortmund earlier this month after missing three months through injury.

“Everything will be decided the day after the game but all the players are fully focused on the game itself. We’re prepared for any situation in the match and we want to win even though it’s only a friendly, because then we can carry that form onward. We’ll be trying out different things and we need to capitalize on the good things that come out of the game.”

Japan will warm up for the World Cup by playing Switzerland in Lugano, Switzerland, on June 8 and Paraguay in Innsbruck, Austria, on June 12. Nishino’s team opens its World Cup campaign against Colombia in Saransk on June 19 before taking on Senegal in Yekaterinburg on June 24 and Poland in Volgograd on June 28.

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