Japanese Olympic hopeful Shio Fukuda has been promoted to Borussia Monchengladbach's first team, the German Bundesliga club said Tuesday.
The 19-year-old striker has been playing for Monchengladbach's second team after joining the club last January straight out of high school in his native Kagoshima Prefecture. He did not play in the J-League.
"Shio has impressed again and again over the weeks and months, whether in talent training, U-23s games or training with the first team," sporting director Nils Schmadtke said on the team's website.
"This is a reward for Shio for his performances so far."
Fukuda will join Japan defender Ko Itakura in the Monchengladbach first team.
On the pitch in England, Japanese attacker Koji Miyoshi came off the bench and scored a 93rd-minute winner as Birmingham came from behind to edge Hull 2-1 at home in the FA Cup third-round replay.
Birmingham will travel to face Leicester in the fourth round.
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