World Cup Gameweek 3
Jun 28, 2018 3.00pm
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FT Volgograd Arena
  • goal Jan Bednarek 59'

Team News: Shinji Okazaki named in Japan XI

Shinji Okazaki named in Japan XI

Leicester City forward Shinji Okazaki has returned to the Japan XI for Thursday's 2018 World Cup clash Group H clash with Poland.

Akira Nishino has somewhat surprisingly shuffled his pack for the key fixture, with the likes of Shinji Kagawa and Takashi Inui left on the bench for a Japan side that need just a point to progress to the last-16 stage of the competition.

As for already-eliminated Poland, Robert Lewandowski again leads the line, but head coach Adam Nawalka has also made alterations following two straight defeats this summer.

Indeed, new West Ham United goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski starts between the sticks, while there is also a spot in the team at centre-back for Kamil Glik.

Japan: Kawashima; Nagatomo, Yoshida, Makino, H Sakai; Shibasaki, Yamaguchi; Usami, Muto, G Sakai; Okazaki Subs: Endo, Haraguchi, Hasebe, Higashiguchi, Honda, Inui, Kagawa, Nakamura, Osako, Oshima, Shoji, Ueda

Poland: Fabianski; Bereszynski, Glik, Bednarek, Jedrzejczyk; Krychowiak, Goralski; Grosicki, Zielinski, Kurzawa; Lewandowski Subs: Szczesny, Pazan, Cionek, Milik, Linetty, Bialkowski, Rybus, Teodorczyk, Blaszczykowski, Peszko, Piszczek, Kownacki

Follow Sports Mole's live minute-by-minute coverage of the action here.

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