TOKYO, February 26, 2012 (AFP) - Bolton teenage winger Ryo Miyaichi could be in line for his international debut after coach Alberto Zaccheroni named him in Japan's squad for Wednesday's World Cup qualifier against Uzbekistan.
"He (Miyaichi) has tremendous speed and staying power as well," Zaccheroni said after selecting a 23-strong squad, including Miyaichi and 10 other Europe-based players, for the home match in Toyota.
"He will be able to change the rhythm of the game with his runs, both short and long," the Italian told Japanese media. "He has a chance to play."
It is the first international call-up for the 19-year-old winger who joined English Premier League side Bolton Wanderers last month in a loan move from Arsenal, his club since late 2010.
"He has performed at Bolton well in an eye-catching manner. He has a lot of quality and that's why I have called him up," said Zaccheroni.
Miyaichi scored his first goal in English football on February 18 in his first start for the club in a 2-0 away win against Millwall in the FA Cup fifth round.
Wednesday's game, the final Group C match for Uzbekistan and Japan, is a dead rubber for both countries, who have already secured berths in the final round of Asian qualifying.
Japan's two most important players, CSKA Moscow midfielder Keisuke Honda and Borussia Dortmund goal machine Shinji Kagawa, are not in the squad as they are recovering from injuries.
But Zaccheroni said he could add Kagawa to the squad if he is involved in Dortmund's home game against Hannover 96 in the Bundesliga on Sunday.
Group C leaders Uzbekistan will be missing star midfielder Server Djeparov and four other players, who deliberately picked up yellow cards in a World Cup qualifier at home to Tajikistan in November.
This meant they would serve their suspensions in the dead-rubber match against Japan.
But FIFA announced earlier this month that the players would serve additional one-match suspensions for the first game of the fourth round of qualifying, beginning in June.
Squad:
Goalkeepers: Eiji Kawashima (Lierse/BEL), Kaito Yamamoto (Shimizu S-Pulse), Shusaku Nishikawa (Sanfrecce Hiroshima)
Defenders: Yuichi Komano (Jubilo Iwata), Yasuyuki Konno (Gamba Osaka), Yuzo Kurihara (Yokohama Marinos), Masahiko Inoha (Vissel Kobe), Yuto Nagatomo (Inter Milan/ITA), Tomoaki Makino (Urawa Reds), Atsuto Uchida (Schalke/GER), Maya Yoshida (VVV Venlo/NED)
Midfielders: Yasuhito Endo (Gamba Osaka), Kengo Nakamura (Kawasaki Frontale), Makoto Hasebe (Wolfsburg/GER)), Chikashi Masuda (Kashima Antlers), Hajime Hosogai (Augsburg/GER)) Yosuke Kashiwagi (Urawa Reds)
Forwards: Jungo Fujimoto (Nagoya Grampus), Tadanari Lee (Southampton/ENG), Shinji Okazaki (Stuttgart/GER), Mike Havenaar (Vitesse Arnhem/NED), Takashi Inui (Bochum/GER), Ryo Miyaichi (Bolton Wanderers/ENG)
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