Brighton quartet face off in international friendly as countdown to 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar gathers momentum
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Albion teammates Moisés Caicedo, Pervis Estupiñán, Jeremy Sarmiento and Kaoru Mitoma did battle as Ecuador and Japan played out a goalless draw in Düsseldorf.
Caicedo and Estupiñán played the full 90 minutes for Ecuador, while Sarmiento, who is recovering from a groin strain, came off the bench to play the entirety of the second half.
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Hide AdMitoma, who netted a wonderful goal against the USA on Friday, started for Japan. The winger was replaced by Yuki Soma on 66 minutes.
Blue Samurai keeper Daniel Schmidt kept out ex-West Ham United striker Enner Valencia’s 82nd minute penalty to earn Japan a 0-0 draw.
With just 57 days until the opening game, Japan have one more warm up game to look forward to before the hotly-anticipated tournament gets underway.
The Blue Samurai face Canada in Dubai in their final pre-World Cup friendly on November 17 before their Group E opener against Germany in Doha on November 23.
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Hide AdJapan then play Costa Rica in Al Rayyan on November 27 before ending the group stage against Robert Sánchez’s Spain in Doha on December 1.
Ecuador, meanwhile, have no more pre-tournament tune-ups before the competition begins.
La Tri take on hosts, and Asian Cup champions, Qatar in the opening game of the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Al Khor on November 20.
Ecuador, who have been drawn in Group A, then face the Netherlands in Al Rayyan five days later, before concluding group play against African Cup of Nations holders Senegal in the same venue on November 29.