TRIBUNE NEWS NETWORK
DOHA
Al Rayyan Sports Club has announced the signing of Japanese international player Shogo Taniguchi for an undisclosed term, who will join the club’s first team as they prepare for the return of the Qatar Stars League in the new year. “Al Rayyan contracts Japanese international player Shogo Taniguchi,” the team declared in a tweet.
The defender was unveiled in the presence of Ali bin Saud Al Thani, President of Al Rayyan Sports Club, at the club’s Doha headquarters. Taniguchi would take the place of injured Palestinian international defender Yasser Hamad.
The 31-year-old centre-back was a member of Japan’s squad that competed at the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022, where he started two games as the Samurai Blue proceeded to the round of 16. The Japanese team, led by Hajime Moriyasu, defeated the German and Spanish teams 2-1 in the group stage.
Taniguchi joined Kawasaki Frontale in 2014 after graduating from the University of Tsukuba and went on to win four J-League titles with the club, which he captained beginning in 2020.
Al Rayyan are presently bottom of the Qatar Stars League table, with no wins after seven rounds of play. The signing of the defender is intended to help strengthen up the team’s defence, which has conceded 10 goals in seven games.
Al Rayyan’s next match in the new year is against second-from-bottom Al Sailiya, who have four points to the Lions’ one.
