Japanese World Cup squad member Ko Itakura made his return from a two-month injury absence Friday, playing the final minutes of Borussia Monchengladbach's 4-2 home win over Borussia Dortmund in the German Bundesliga.
The defender suffered a partial tear to the collateral ligament inside his left knee during training on Sept. 12. Although he was picked in Japan's 26-man squad, his participation at the tournament in Qatar had been in question.
"It was good. I'm happy I can go to the World Cup looking fine," said Itakura, who showed no issues during his defensive midfield cameo.
The 25-year-old said he could not bend his knee for a few weeks following the injury and credited his determination to make the big stage for helping him to recover in time.
"I could concentrate on my rehabilitation because of the World Cup," said Itakura, who is set to make his tournament debut in Qatar.
"There's a strong sense of going into battle. I want to put in a proper fight while carrying Japan's hopes," he said.
