It has since been a tough week for Steve Smith and co. hid Halilhodzic’s side can afford to ease off against the Saudis in Jeddah. 0th French Open title in June, is growing more confident ahead of his clash with Ukraine’s Alexandr Dolgopolov. I have been privileged enough to have met both Brendan and Charlie. ’Japan captain Makoto Hasebe has withdrawn from the team’s final World Cup qualifier against Saudi Arabia in Jeddah on Tuesday, the Japan Football Association said. The skipper has been joined on the absentee list by Borussia Dortmund midfielder Shinji Kagawa, who was an unused substitute in Thursday’s match at Saitama Stadium. Ragan had defeated India’s Gaurav Bidhuri in the semifinal. Second placed South Korea can qualify directly for an eighth successive World Cup appearance with a win over fourth-placed Uzbekistan in Tashkent. Europe’s nine group winners will qualify automatically for next year’s tournament in Rus. It remains to be seen whether it is Hilton Cartwright, Steve O’Keefe or Jackson Bird who makes it into the playing XI.