Japan's Kubo Ruled Out of World Cup Match Against Tunisia; Nakamura Vows to Step Up

Japan will face Tunisia in a crucial Group F World Cup match on Saturday without attacking star Takefusa Kubo, who has been ruled out due to a left knee injury sustained in the team's opening draw against the Netherlands. The Japan Football Association announced on Thursday that the 25-year-old Real Sociedad player will remain at the team's hotel in Nashville, Tennessee, for recovery and will not travel to Monterrey, Mexico, for the fixture.

Kubo was substituted in the 75th minute of Japan's 1-1 draw with the Netherlands on Sunday after a heavy challenge from Denzel Dumfries. He left the stadium in a wheelchair, and a checkup on Monday confirmed the injury. He missed team training on Wednesday and will continue rehabilitation with the squad, though no specific timeline for his return has been provided.

Keito Nakamura, who scored a memorable equalizer on his World Cup debut against the Netherlands, has expressed confidence in leading Japan's attack in Kubo's absence. The 25-year-old forward, who played last season for Reims in the French second division, said he aims to contribute directly to goals against Tunisia.

"Whether it's a goal, assist, or something before that, I want to come up with a piece of play that directly leads to us scoring," Nakamura said following team training near Nashville. He acknowledged the loss of Kubo's creativity but added, "We'll all be carrying his thoughts during the match. I'm sure he'd be back again and I'm not worried at all."

Tunisia, meanwhile, started their tournament with a 5-1 defeat to Sweden and replaced head coach Sabri Lamouchi with Frenchman Herve Renard. A win for Japan on Saturday would significantly boost their chances of advancing from the group stage.