Football: Kumagai, Hasegawa headline Nadeshiko Japan World Cup squad

Defensive linchpin Saki Kumagai is set to captain Nadeshiko Japan at her fourth Women’s World Cup after being named Tuesday in head coach Futoshi Ikeda’s squad for the tournament kicking off next month in Australia and New Zealand.

The AS Roma defender-midfielder headlines a 23-woman squad with several overseas-based footballers, including Manchester City playmaker Yui Hasegawa and Liverpool midfielder Fuka Nagano.

Veteran Tottenham Hotspur attacker Mana Iwabuchi, a member of Japan’s 2011 World Cup-winning team, was the biggest name left out.

The newly crowned champions of Japan’s WE League, U...