After racing to be fit in time for the World Cup in Qatar, attacker Takuma Asano and defender Ko Itakura went through their paces with the Japan squad in preparation for Thursday's final friendly warm-up against Canada.
Both were in doubt after suffering similar injuries of the medial collateral knee ligament while playing for their German Bundesliga clubs in September, but now look forward to making their World Cup debuts.
The clash with Canada in Dubai could provide important match practice for the pair before Hajime Moriyasu's men kick off their Group E campaign against heavyweights Germany next Wednesday.
For Bochum's Asano, this year's tournament is a chance to move past the disappointment of the 2018 World Cup in Russia, when he was overlooked for the final Japan squad after making strong contributions during qualifying.
"For me, just being here is everything," Asano said Tuesday. "The soccer gods haven't made things easy for me."
Asano's selection came as a surprise to some, in light of both his fitness concerns and the omission from the squad of in-form Celtic striker Kyogo Furuhashi, but the 28-year-old retained the faith of Moriyasu, his former boss at Sanfrecce Hiroshima.
Borussia Monchengladbach's Itakura undertook a grueling rehabilitation program with his club and later with trainers at the Japan Football Association's outpost in Germany.
The 25-year-old, who gives the Japanese backline size, speed and defensive versatility, initially thought it would be "tough to make the World Cup," but managed to return to the pitch as a late substitute for Gladbach on Friday.
Asano has not played a competitive match since his injury but is hoping to test himself when world No. 24 Japan take on No. 41 Canada at Dubai's Al-Maktoum Stadium.
"I'll put everything I have on the line there," Asano said. "It's a chance to show what I've got out on the pitch."
Of the 26-man Japan squad, only Brighton winger Kaoru Mitoma, whose arrival has been delayed by illness, missed Tuesday's training run.
Frankfurt attacker Daichi Kamada and Reims winger Junya Ito practiced for the first time after arriving in Doha the previous day.
Stuttgart midfielder Wataru Endo, who recently suffered a concussion, undertook a separate training program, as did Sporting Lisbon midfielder Hidemasa Morita, who has been dealing with a calf issue.
