J. League champions Sanfrecce Hiroshima will play the Club World Cup's quarterfinals without three players injured during their 2-0 playoff win over Auckland City on Thursday, manager Hajime Moriyasu said after the game.
Sanfrecce will take on African champions TP Mazembe of the Democratic Republic of Congo in Osaka on Sunday.
"They can't play in the next game," said Moriyasu after Gakuto Notsuda, Kosei Shibasaki and Kohei Shimizu were all injured in the tournament opener.
"It is frustrating. I troubled my team consuming one of the substitutions early," said Notsuda, who had a shot that led to Yusuke Minagawa's opener in the ninth minute. Notsuda left the field five minutes later with a twisted right leg.
Notsuda's substitute Shibasaki also came off eight minutes after the break with an injured left knee, while Shimizu was taken off in the 65th minute with a right ankle sprain.
Tsukasa Shiotani scored Sanfrecce's second in the 70th minute to seal the win.