Honda could make national team comeback in Azerbaijan friendly

Honda could make national team comeback in Azerbaijan friendly, says Zaccheroni

Apr 24, 2012 6:15:00 AM

The CSKA attacker has not been called up since undergoing surgery on his ankle last summer, and the May 23 friendly will serve as a test of his abilities before June's qualifiers

Japan national team manager Alberto Zaccheroni on Monday indicated that midfielder Keisuke Honda is likely to receive his first call-up in eight months for the country's upcoming friendly against Azerbaijan.

The friendly, announced on Sunday, will see the Samurai Blue face the 110th Fifa-ranked nation at Ecopa Stadium in Shizuoka Prefecture, less than two weeks before Japan open the final stage of World Cup qualifying against Oman on June 3.

Originally planned to be a training match between a domestic squad and a university team, Zaccheroni asked instead for a full 'A' match against a lower-ranked opponent following the final group draw in March, which saw Japan paired with Oman, Jordan, Iraq and Australia.

But more than a warm-up for his players, the friendly could serve as a big test for Honda, who recently played 90 minutes against Dinamo Moscow after spending six weeks on the sidelines with a thigh injury.

"Honda is an incredibly important player for the national team, and to get him ready for June we want to support him as much as possible," Zaccheroni told reporters on the first day of a three-day camp for potential domestic call-ups.

"Seeing him play for 90 minutes [against Dinamo] was a good opportunity to see his condition. If he keeps practicing, we'll be able to use him against Azerbaijan."

Although Honda could get the go-ahead in May, the former VVV man's fitness will determine how much - or little - he plays in June.

"[Out of the three matches] we'd like to give [Honda] at least one appearance," Zaccheroni elaborated. "We want to figure out what's best for him."

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