Fifa has canceled the World Cup qualifier between North Korea and Japan. Takuma Asano will be available to VfL Bochum sooner.

Bundesliga soccer team VfL Bochum will be able to call upon its Japanese winger Takuma Asano sooner than expected. FIFA has canceled the World Cup qualifier between North Korea and Japan scheduled for Tuesday.

Due to the lack of an alternative venue and a lack of dates, the match will not be rescheduled. FIFA made the announcement on Saturday and announced that the case would also be forwarded to the Disciplinary Committee for a decision on the match classification. This indicates that the match will be scored 3-0 in favor of Japan.

According to the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), North Korea announced on Wednesday that it was unable to host the match in Pyongyang due to “unavoidable circumstances” and asked for the match to be moved to a neutral venue. The AFC did not provide any details.

Japan and Bochum’s Asano played against North Korea in a World Cup qualifier at the National Stadium in Tokyo on Thursday. The Japanese won the game 1:0, Asano was substituted in the 74th minute.

Return in time for the start of training

As a result of the match being called off, the attacking player will be available to his club again in time for the start of training. VfL Bochum will resume training on Tuesday. After the test match at Twente Enschede (2:0), coach Thomas Letsch sent his players off for a long weekend off. After that, things get serious.

After the break, preparations will begin for the important basement duel next Sunday (31.3., 19.30/Sky) against bottom of the table Darmstadt 98. After four defeats in a row, Bochum are under pressure to make a move in the Ruhrstadion. Their lead over the relegation places has shrunk to six points. Takuma Asano will be in full possession of his strength after his abbreviated international trip.