Yuzo Kurihara may be suspended for Japan's World Cup qualifier against Iraq this month, but if the Yokohama F. Marinos defender cannot be with his teammates in body, he fully intends to be there in spirit.
Japan takes on Iraq at Saitama Stadium on Sept. 11 having made an impressive start to the final Asian qualifying round for Brazil 2014, but the team's haul of seven points from three games has not come without a price.
A red card in the dying minutes of the team's 1-1 draw with Australia in June has ruled Kurihara out of the Iraq fixture, while suspensions for fellow defenders Atsuto Uchida and Yasuyuki Konno have further whittled down manager Alberto Zaccheroni's options.