PARMA, Italy, Nov 10 (Kyodo/APP): Goalkeeper Zion Suzuki has withdrawn from the Japan squad for upcoming international football friendlies against Ghana and Bolivia after suffering fracture in his left hand playing for Italian Serie A club Parma in a 2-2 draw at home to AC Milan.
Parma said scans on Sunday revealed a fracture in the middle finger of his left hand and in the scaphoid bone, adding he will undergo further specialist consultation in the coming days before eventually undergoing surgery.
The Samurai Blue, who have the World Cup looming next summer, will host Ghana at Toyota Stadium in Aichi Prefecture on Friday and face Bolivia at Tokyo’s National Stadium four days later.
Suzuki played the full match at Parma’s Ennio Tardini Stadium but injured his hand in a collision with another player in the closing stages.
The 23-year-old went to a hospital after the game and Parma notified the Japan Football Association about his unavailability for the national squad, according to a club statement.
Parma sit 17th in the 20-team Italian top division after the stalemate with second-place Milan.