Football: Mitoma, Maeda to miss Japan's 2 home friendlies

Brighton winger Kaoru Mitoma has been ruled out of Japan's upcoming international home friendlies against Canada and Tunisia due to illness, the Japan Football Association said Monday. Mitoma will join injured Celtic forward Daizen Maeda in pulling out of manager Hajime Moriyasu's squad. Nurnberg attacker Kanji Okunuki earned his first call-up following Mitoma's withdrawal, while Standard Liege midfielder Hayao Kawabe will replace Maeda. Japan, 19th in the FIFA rankings, will take on 44th-ranked Canada at Denka Big Swan Stadium in Niigata on Friday before facing 29th-ranked Tunisia at Noevir S...