Nakamura leads Japan in Serbia outing

Former Celtic midfielder Shunsuke Nakamura, struggling to get back to his top form, will lead Japan in a World Cup tune-up against Serbia next week, it was announced on Monday.

Coach Takeshi Okada called up 20 players for the game in Osaka on April 7, the last match before he announces his final 23 players for the World Cup. Okada has not drafted in any of his Europe-based players like Catania striker Takayuki Morimoto and Moscow midfielder Keisuke Honda because it is not a FIFA-sanctioned international match day.

But Nakamura is involved after returning to his old club Yokohama Marinos this season after failing to make an impact at Espanyol last year.

``Serbia are physically stronger. I'm going to see how far we can cope with opponents who play a hard game," said Okada.

'Those who were not called up this time still have a chance to be chosen for the World Cup. I called up players whom I must see. I've decided 70 percent of the team for the World Cup."

Squad

Goalkeepers: Seigo Narazaki (Nagoya Grampus), Eiji Kawashima (Kawasaki Frontale)

Defenders: Yuji Nakazawa (Yokohama Marinos), Yuichi Komano (Jubilo Iwata), Yasuyuki Konno (FC Tokyo), Yuzo Kurihara (Yokohama), Yuhei Tokunaga (Tokyo), Yuto Nagatomo (Tokyo), Atsuto Uchida (Kashima Antlers)

Midfielders: Shunsuke Nakamura (Yokohama), Junichi Inamoto (Kawasaki), Yasuhito Endo (Gamba Osaka), Naohiro Ishikawa (Tokyo), Yuki Abe (Urawa Red Diamonds), Koji Yamase (Yokohama)

Forwards: Keiji Tamada (Nagoya), Kosho Yano (Albirex Niigata), Shinji Okazaki (Shimizu S-Pulse), Shinzo Koroki (Kashima), Kensuke Nagai (Fukuoka University). TOKYO, Tuesday (AFP)