Crucial Asian Cup Clash: Reo Hatate Returns to Japan's Starting Lineup Against Indonesia

In a crucial Asian Cup match for Japan, midfielder Reo Hatate has been included in the starting lineup against Indonesia. This comes after Hatate’s impactful performance in the previous group stage match, where he played a notable role in the closing stages of Japan’s 2-1 loss to Iraq. Despite facing injury challenges this season at Celtic with his last start dating back to October in a 2-2 draw against Atletico Madrid, Hatate’s return to Japan’s starting eleven is a significant boost.

Japan needs a win or draw in this match to advance to the next round of the Asian Cup. The game scheduled to begin at 11:30, places Hatate in a crucial midfield role with high expectations following his previous game’s assist. Daizen Maeda, another Celtic player and a regular contributor for Japan, starts on the bench for this match. Maeda’s speed and attacking prowess could become crucial later in the game providing Japan with additional options in the forward line.