Gamba Osaka goalkeeper Masaaki Higashiguchi is expected to be out of action for a month with a fractured left cheekbone, the J. League first-division club said Tuesday.

Higashiguchi suffered the injury in Gamba’s 3-0 league win at home to FC Tokyo on Saturday.

The injury also means he will be unavailable for selection for Japan’s World Cup qualifiers against United Arab Emirates and Thailand later this month.