OITA — The battle for places in Japan's squad for this summer's World Cup finals resumes Tuesday when the three-time Asian champion takes on Venezuela in a friendly in Oita.
The meeting with the South Americans at Kyushu Oil Dome marks the start of a four-match series of World Cup warm-ups in February and provides players on the fringes of Takeshi Okada's squad to state their case for inclusion in the final 23-man group in South Africa.
Kashima Antlers captain Mitsuo Ogasawara is among a number of players looking to impress coach Okada in the absence of Espanyol playmaker Shunsuke Nakamura and the rest of the team's European-based players.