Japan's Brazilian-born winger Alessandro Santos is nursing a sore left ankle but is expected to be fit to play in Japan's World Cup opener against Australia, the Japan Football Association said Tuesday.
Santos became the latest victim to join Japan's growing casualty list when he limped out of the Asian champion's 1-0 win over Malta in the team's final pre-tournament match in Dusseldorf on Sunday.
But the 28-year-old Urawa Reds man should be able to rejoin his teammates for training on Wednesday after missing Tuesday's practice session, JFA press officer Ichirota Fukushi said.
Santos and right-winger Akira Kaji, who is recovering from an ankle injury, both went through light workouts at the team's hotel on the banks of the river Rhine while striker Atsushi Yanagisawa (hamstring) also trained separately from the team.
The 26-year-old Kaji was the victim of a crude lunge from behind by Bastian Schweinsteiger in Japan's 2-2 draw with World Cup host Germany last week and is Zico's main concern ahead of the Australia match on June 12 in Kaiserslautern.
On a positive note, striker Naohiro Takahara, who scored twice against the Germans, practiced with the team on Tuesday after shaking off a knee injury.