Japan Forward Mitoma Is a Major Doubt for Next Month’s Asian Cup Due to Ankle Injury

Brighton's Kaoru Mitoma looks onduring the Premier League soccer match between Brighton and Hove Albion and Crystal Palace at the American Express Community Stadium in Brighton, England, Wednesday, March 15, 2023. (AP)
Brighton's Kaoru Mitoma looks onduring the Premier League soccer match between Brighton and Hove Albion and Crystal Palace at the American Express Community Stadium in Brighton, England, Wednesday, March 15, 2023. (AP)
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Japan Forward Mitoma Is a Major Doubt for Next Month’s Asian Cup Due to Ankle Injury

Brighton's Kaoru Mitoma looks onduring the Premier League soccer match between Brighton and Hove Albion and Crystal Palace at the American Express Community Stadium in Brighton, England, Wednesday, March 15, 2023. (AP)
Brighton's Kaoru Mitoma looks onduring the Premier League soccer match between Brighton and Hove Albion and Crystal Palace at the American Express Community Stadium in Brighton, England, Wednesday, March 15, 2023. (AP)

Japan forward Kaoru Mitoma is a major doubt for next month's Asian Cup after sustaining an ankle injury with his English Premier League club Brighton.

“Tomorrow we have more or less 10 injured players, maybe eight, but (the other) two players can’t start the game,” Brighton manager Roberto De Zerbi said on the eve of his team's home match with Tottenham on Thursday.

“Mitoma is one of them. We've lost Kaoru for around six weeks.”

The 26-year-old Mitoma, a fast and skillful player, suffered his injury in Brighton's 1-1 draw against Crystal Palace last Thursday.

The Asian Cup, to be played in Qatar, begins on Jan. 12 and four-time winner Japan has been drawn in Group D with Indonesia, Iraq and Vietnam.

Japan launches its campaign against Vietnam in Doha on Jan. 14.



Al-Baha to Host Fourth Saudi Cycling Championship on Friday

File photo of Saudi Arabia's flag.
File photo of Saudi Arabia's flag.
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Al-Baha to Host Fourth Saudi Cycling Championship on Friday

File photo of Saudi Arabia's flag.
File photo of Saudi Arabia's flag.

The fourth edition of the Saudi Arabia Cycling Championship for men and women will start Friday in Al-Baha Region.

The two-day event is organized by the Saudi Cycling Federation under the supervision of the Ministry of Sport's regional branch.
Director of the Ministry’s Al-Baha branch Bandar bin Saad Al-Ghamdi stated that 16 clubs will participate in the championship, with a total of 115 male and female athletes competing, SPA reported.
The first day of the competition will take place on the Al-Aqiq Governorate Road, with the men’s race covering 70 km and the women’s race spanning 30 km. On the second day, races will be held on the Sakhwan Road, where men will race over 130 km and women over 45 km.