After sparing his manager’s blushes once again, Japan midfielder Ao Tanaka looks to have regained his place in the national fold as a player capable of providing more than adept cover for the ever-reliable Wataru Endo and Hidemasa Morita. The Fortuna Dusseldorf man’s omission from the Asian Cup squad raised eyebrows, given Japan manager Hajime Moriyasu’s previous reliance on him, and the decision may have been costly, with the team’s lack of midfield options contributing to their quarterfinal-stage exit in Qatar. The 25-year-old slotted in seamlessly upon his return Thursday in the World Cup q…