VfL Bochum will have to continue without Takuma Asano. The Japanese national team has cleared the next hurdle in the Asian Cup.

Good news for Takuma Asano and the Japanese national team, bad news for VfL Bochum: Japan beat Bahrain in the round of 16 of the Asian Cup in Qatar on Wednesday afternoon and are now among the last eight. This means that VfL Bochum will have to do without their Japanese star striker for a few more days. The quarter-finals will not be played until next Saturday (12:30 p.m.).

Bochum coach Letsch still had high hopes on Wednesday after public training, where new signing Agon Elezi took to the pitch for the first time, that he would be able to count on Asano for the home game against FC Augsburg on Saturday (3:30 p.m., Sky).

However, that will not be possible, and he will have to look for a replacement again.

VfL Bochum’s Asano will play in the round of 16 from the 80th minute onwards.

Japan beat Bahrain 3-1 on Wednesday afternoon German time. Freiburg’s Ritsu Doan put Japan ahead after half an hour. Takefusa Kubo and Ayase Ueda scored the other goals for Japan. Asano only came on in the 80th minute for the scorer of the third goal, but still played for over twenty minutes. There was eleven minutes of added time.

Asano only played in one game in the group stage, in the 1-2 defeat to Iraq. He also started that game. He did not play in the two wins against Vietnam and Indonesia. Now, in the round of 16, he only made a brief appearance.

VfL Bochum’s Asano: Asian Cup final would be on February 10

In the quarterfinals on Saturday, Japan will now face either Syria or Iran. The two teams will play their round of 16 match on Wednesday evening German time. Should Japan prevail there as well, the semifinals would be played in the middle of next week.

In the worst case scenario for VfL Bochum, Asano would also miss the away game against Eintracht Frankfurt on February 10. The Asian Cup final will also be played on that day.