Honda could return to international action in November

The CSKA Moscow attacker has recovered faster than expected from knee surgery and could be ready to travel with Alberto Zaccheroni's team to Tajikistan and North Korea next monthJapan coach Alberto Zaccheroni could push for the return of CSKA Moscow striker Keisuke Honda to national team duties as early as November, Japanese newspaper Nikkan Sports reported on Saturday.The Japan Football Association (JFA) is receiving daily status reports on Honda's recovery from surgery on his right knee, and staffers are reported as saying that Zaccheroni could call the star up for two crucial away matches against Tajikistan and North Korea in mid-November as part of World Cup qualifying.Honda has not played since late August, when he injured his knee in the Moscow derby. After being evaluated by specialists, he underwent surgery in Barcelona in early September.Recovery was expected to take as long as three months, but according to JFA Technical Director Hiromi Hara, "It looks as though he's recovering faster than expected. [Honda] is returning to good form."After completing over a month of rehabilitation in Barcelona, Honda returned to Moscow on Friday. He has already resumed running exercises, and is expected to rejoin his CSKA Moscow teammates in practice sometime this month.If Honda can return to play by CSKA's match against Spartak Nalchik on October 28, he is likely to be called up by a Japan in desperate need of his services. The blue samurai utilised a Honda-less 3-4-3 formation in Friday night's friendly against Vietnam but struggled to a 1-0 victory, leaving many to wonder when Japan's boldest attacker will return.Japan will have to do without Honda for at least one more match, though, when they host Tajikistan on Tuesday night.