J-Leaguefans.com hasn't been updated for the last couple of months due to the cause that we're a bunch of bloggers going together to create a new J-portal called www.japanesesoccer.net
Here you will find pretty much everything that you used to find at J-leaguefans.com, plus a whole lot more interesting stuff about japanese soccer. In other words, this site won't be updated anymore, but will be kept alive due to it's "archive".
Also, for Cerezo-news, check out www.cerezo-osaka.net.
Sunday, 11 January 2009
Monday, 8 December 2008
J2 Round-Up
Sanfrecce Hiroshima and surprise-package Montedio Yamagata took the top 2 spots which gives automatic promotion to J1 next season, while Vegalta Sendai finished 3rd. Vegalta will meet Jubilo Iwata in a play-off to decide who get's to play where next season.
Sanfrecce have been a truly dominant force this season, cruising through the league winning an impressive 31 out of 42 matches. It was clear long ago that they would be qualified for J1 next year, and they should be able to perform there as well with their current squad. Montedio Yamagata surprised everyone by taking 2nd, and with a relatively modest squad they've done wonders this season. In my opinion they need some re-inforcements next season if they want to stay up, but I doubt they will do any worse than Yokohama FC last season and Consadole Sapporo this year.
Vegalta Sendai snatched 3rd just ahead of Cerezo, who despite an impressive final run missed out on promotion for the 2nd year running. Vegalta just missed out on 3rd 3 seasons in a row before this one, and although they are not qualified for J1 yet, one feels it's about time they get back to where many people mean they belong. The play-off against Jubilo will be tough though, but in recent years it's the J2-teams that have triumphed most often in those matches.
The biggest disappointment in J2 this season must be Avispa Fukuoka's performance. Predicted to be a promotion-contender, they for long looked no better than Ehime FC or Tokushima Vortis. After a rough start they looked a bit better near the end of the season though. Cerezo's 4th is also a disappointment, as they were tipped to be Sanfrecce's toughest rival for 1st.
Among the positive surprises Montedio Yamagata comes out first. Also Thespa Kusatsu looked really good for a while, but a poor end to the season saw them finish 9th. Small-fries liked Mito,Gifu and Roasso all sparkled at times, but in the end they couldn't keep up with the bigger teams. For next year, 3 new teams will join J2, which should only improve the competitiveness for the league, and with that also make it harder for teams to be promoted.
J2 - final round results:
Vegalta Sendai Thespa Kusatsu 1-0
V: Sekiguchi 68'
Cerezo Osaka Ehime FC 2-1
C: Sakemoto 64', Kaio 65''
E: Ego 51'
FC Gifu Sagan Tosu 1-0
G: Katagiri 44'
Montedio Yamagata Mito Hollyhock 1-0
M: Kitamura 22'
Sanfrecce Hiroshima Tokushima Vortis 3-0
S: Morisaki 67', Sato 84', Stoyanov 88'
Avispa Fukuoka Shonan Bellmare 3-1
A: Havenaar 37', Suzuki 49', Okubo 61'
S: Sakamoto 67'
Yokohama FC Ventforet Kofu 0-0
J1 TITLE CHAMPION 2008 - Kashima Antlers
Kashima Antlers were crowned J1-champion for the 2nd year running after their 1-0 win away against Consadole in the final round of the J.League 2008 season. Kawasaki Frontale ends 2nd, while Nagoya Grampus takes the important 3rd place which gives ACL-participation next year. Oita Trinita just missed out on top 3, but should be happy about their season nonetheless. They are the biggest surprise-package of the season, along with Nagoya Grampus.
Kashima's victory is deserved, as they have been the most constant performer with the fewest hiccups this season. Where other big-guns like Urawa Reds and Gamba Osaka have failed to deliver, have Antlers been the only top-team to perform ( to some extent Frontale have also delivered). Gamba's season is saved by the ACL-win though, but for Urawa's sake it's been a total disaster. There will most likely be alot of change in personell at Saitama during the close-season period, and they've already changed coach. Gert Engels have been thrown out of his office, and the new man to take over is former Freiburg-coach Volker Finke. A respected man in Germany, but former Urawa-boss Guido Buchwald doesn't believe Finke will make it in Japan, as he "has trouble dealing with individuals", according to japanese newspapers. Guido is the only manager that have lifted the J.League-trophy with Urawa, so he should know what he's talking. Let's hope for Urawa's sake Finke can save them though.
At the bottom of the table we saw a fairytale-like comeback from JEF United, as they came from 2 goals behind to win 4-2 against FC Tokyo at home. With that JEF avoided relegation by a whisker. Consadole Sapporo were ready for relegation months ago, and to join them is Tokyo Verdy. That means Kyoto Sanga is the only one of the promoted teams from last season to stay up. Jubilo Iwata finished 16th, which means they will meet Vegalta Sendai in a play-off to decide who plays where next season.
An exciting finish to another fantastic J.League season, and we can't wait until it all starts again in March 2009!
Kashima fans celebrating
J1 results - final round:
Albirex Niigata Gamba Osaka 3-2
A:Homma 10', Matsushita 31', Uchida 90'
G: Terada 32', Lucas 61'
Consadole Sapporo Kashima Antlers 0-1
K: Nozawa 35'
JEF Utd Ichihara FC Tokyo 4-2
J: Arai 74', Yazawa 77', Reinaldo 80', Tanizawa 85'
T: Cabore 39', Nagatomo 53'
Jubilo Iwata Omiya Ardija 0-1
O: Kobayashi 35'
Kyoto Sanga FC Shimizu S-Pulse 1-3
K: Yanagisawa 84'
S: Yajima 37', Yamamoto 38', Hara 80'
Oita Trinita Nagoya Grampus 0-0
Tokyo Verdy Kawasaki Frontale 0-2
K: Renatinho 64', Nakamura 90'
Urawa Red Diamonds Yokohama F Marinos 1-6
U: Hosogai 56'
Y: Hyodo 22', Kawai 46',80', Komiyama 64',76', Oshima 87'
Vissel Kobe Kashiwa Reysol 0-2
K: Popo 31', ྲྀ'
Friday, 5 December 2008
J1 - round 33 results
FC Tokyo Albirex Niigata 1-0
T: Akamine 83’
A late goal by substitute Shingo Akamine sealed the win for Tokyo, which means they are still in the run for a place in the ACL next year. It was a lucky result though, as it was the visitors from Niigata that ruled the play and had most of the chances. Especially in the first half, where Tokyo were saved by the bar as well as some nice saves from their goalkeeper.
Tokyo took more over in the 2nd half, and once Akamine came on things started to get better for them. Akamine’s goal came from a header that Albirex’s keeper should have saved. Tokyo outshot Niigata 11-8.
Nagoya Grampus Consadole Sapporo 3-1
N: Ogawa 6’, Sugimoto 12’, Yoneyama 90
C: Davi 70’
Nagoya had few problems beating a poor Consadole side at home, and eventually ended u winning 3-1. Ogawa and Sugimoto gave the home team a great start to the match, as Nagoya were already 2-0 up after 12 minutes. Nagoya’s lead should have gotten bigger though, as they constantly attacked Consadole’s defence. Magnum im particular blew several huge chances, and instead it was Consadole’s Davi that scored the 3rd goal of the match which brought some life back into the game. Nagoya held on though, and Yoneyama sealed all points with another goal in the 90th minute. Both teams had 11 shots on goals, but most of Consadoles efforts were just half-chances.
Omiya Ardija Kyoto Sanga FC 1-1
O: Lavric 12’
K: Hayashi 58’
A draw is a result both teams are happy about, as it pretty much secures both teams a place in J1 next year as well. For Kyoto’s sake, they are 100% safe now, while for Omiya alot has to go wrong if they are to be relegated.
Omiya got off to the best start, and took the lead in the 12th minute through Lavric, who scored after Kyoto’s goalie had to give a rebound to a shot from Fujimoto. Kyoto tried to get back into the match after the early goal, but the closest they got were through a few half-chances. Hayashi got a rare start, and the long-haired striker equalized after being set up by Yanagisawa in the 58th minute. Hayashi had a couple of big chances earlier as well, and didn’t play too badly. Lavric put the ball in the net once more just before the end, but were called off for off-side. All in all a fair result, and Omiya had 11 shots to Kyoto’s 13.
Kashiwa Reysol Oita Trinita 0-2
O: Suzuki 78’, Uemoto 82’
Reysol and Oita battle it out in a very entertaining match with plenty of chances. Oita ended up winning 2-0, and with that kept their hopes alive of a top 3 finish. It was fully deserved as well, as Oita had the most of the chances and most of the possession. Usually Oita have been very careful away this season, but this match they attacked with all their might. Despite heavy pretssure on Reysol, they didn’t manage to score, and actually had to wait until the 78th minute before the opening goal. Suzuki fired away a piledriver from just outside the box that flew into the low-corner, and suddenly the visitors were 1-0 up. Just 4 minutes later Uemoto showed up on the far post to head home the 2nd goal for Oita. Both teams should have scored earlier in the match though, and in the en Oita outshot Reysol 16-7.
Yokohama F Marinos Tokyo Verdy 2-0
Y: Matsuda 59’, Aria Hasegawa 90’
Yokohama had an easy task beating a poor Verdy side at home this round, and ended up winning 2-0. The home team had the most of the chances, and it was a fully deserved win. Verdy didn’t create a single real goalscoring opportunity the whole match, and only had some weak finishes from distance that never really troubled the goalkeeper. Marinos’ first goal came in the 59th minute, as Matsuda’s leap-shot bundled over Verdy’s keeper. Not impressive by Doi in Verdy’s goal. Marinos kept on with the pressure, but had to wait until the 90th minute before they got their 2nd goal through Hasegawa. Verdy looked poor for the entire match, especially up front, where they play with strikers that wouldn’t even be good enough for a mediocre J2 team. With Hulk left earlier in the season and Diego suspended as well as Oguro not being the same player now as he was 3 years ago with Gamba it doesn’t bid well for Verdy. Marinos outshot them 15-7.
Kashima Antlers Jubilo Iwata 1-0
K: Iwamasa 90’
A last-minute goal from captain Daiki Iwamasa gave Antlers 3 very important points that might be what gives them the title. 2 points clear with just 1 match left, Antlers only need 1 point in their last match against last-placed Consadole to win the title as they have a far superior goal-difference. Antlers looked to be in total control of this match already from the start, but despite alot of ball possession they didn’t manage to score. They had some chances though, but the finishing were a bit unlucky. Jubilo had a few efforts from distance, but never really threatened Antlers. Iwamasa’s goal came in the 89th minute after he headed home a corner-kick. That sent the 30 000 in the crowd into eruption, and it might be the difference between 1st and 2nd this season. Antler’s outshot Jubilo 13-7.
Kawasaki Frontale Vissel Kobe 4-0
K: Chong Tese 4’,63’, Juninho 66’,90’
Frontale impressed by beating an in-form Kobe side 4-0 at home this round, which means they still got a tiny chance of finishing 1st this season. But then Antlers has to lose their last match, and Frontale has to win by atleast a couple of goals to get a better goal-aggregate.
The match weren’t as one-sided as the result suggests here, and Kobe looked just as good if not even better tan Frontale at times. Chong Tese gave the home-side a great start though with a nice finish alone with Kobe’s keeper after being played through elegantly by Juninho. Kobe had several huge chances after that to equalize, especially through Okubo who missed a sitter. Instea Chong doubled his tally after a scramble inside the box in the 63rd minute. Juninho did 3-0 shortly after on a PK after Kitamoto got sent off for a professional foul. The brazilian added another with a beautiful placed shot in injury-time to make it 4-0. Frontale had 15 shots to Kobe’s 13.
Gamba Osaka Urawa Red Diamonds 1-0
G: Endo 85’
The season went from bad to worse for Urawa as they crashed 1-0 at Gamba this round. That means they can’t finish any higher than 4th, and will therefore drop out of ACL as well. Coach Engels has been told he will be replaced as the season ends as well, so clearly Urawa aren’t happy with how things have gone this year. Gamba won the ACL, and rescued their season with that. In the league they’ve struggled a bit more, and are all the way down in 8th. It was a thrilling match, with huge chances at both ends. Gamba should have taken the lead in the 20th minute when both Lucas and Endo hit the post on a double-chance. Just minutes later Tulio’s header hit the bar, so both teams were saved by the woodwork. the only goal of the game came in the 85th minute through Yasuhito Endo, on a rare for him, header. Gamba got Yamazaki sent off just before the break, but 20 minutes into the 2nd half Urawa’s Edmilson received the marching order as well. All in all a fair result, but it could have gone either way. Gamba ha 15 shots to Urawa’s 13.
Shimizu S-Pulse JEF Utd Ichihara 3-2
S: Hyodo 29’, Own-goal 39’, Okazaki 77’
J: Maki 33’,86’
2 goals from Seiichiro Maki weren’t enough for JEF as they lost 2-3 away against Shimizu. That means JEF has to win their last match if they want a chance to avoid relegation this season. Shimizu got off to a good start, and had several chances in the opening minutes. The first goal came in the 29th minute, when Hyodo fired home a powerful volley-shot. Maki equalized with a terrific header just minutes later. Right before the break, JEF’s goalkeeper made an horrendous error which resulted the 2-1 goal for Shimizu. As the 2nd half progressed, we didn’t see that many chances, until Okazaki came down the left-hand side and fired home the 3-1 goal in the 77th minute. Maki scored another one from the header in the 86th minute, but JEF couldn’t find another goal, and eventually lost. Both teams had 9 shots on goal.
T: Akamine 83’
A late goal by substitute Shingo Akamine sealed the win for Tokyo, which means they are still in the run for a place in the ACL next year. It was a lucky result though, as it was the visitors from Niigata that ruled the play and had most of the chances. Especially in the first half, where Tokyo were saved by the bar as well as some nice saves from their goalkeeper.
Tokyo took more over in the 2nd half, and once Akamine came on things started to get better for them. Akamine’s goal came from a header that Albirex’s keeper should have saved. Tokyo outshot Niigata 11-8.
Nagoya Grampus Consadole Sapporo 3-1
N: Ogawa 6’, Sugimoto 12’, Yoneyama 90
C: Davi 70’
Nagoya had few problems beating a poor Consadole side at home, and eventually ended u winning 3-1. Ogawa and Sugimoto gave the home team a great start to the match, as Nagoya were already 2-0 up after 12 minutes. Nagoya’s lead should have gotten bigger though, as they constantly attacked Consadole’s defence. Magnum im particular blew several huge chances, and instead it was Consadole’s Davi that scored the 3rd goal of the match which brought some life back into the game. Nagoya held on though, and Yoneyama sealed all points with another goal in the 90th minute. Both teams had 11 shots on goals, but most of Consadoles efforts were just half-chances.
Omiya Ardija Kyoto Sanga FC 1-1
O: Lavric 12’
K: Hayashi 58’
A draw is a result both teams are happy about, as it pretty much secures both teams a place in J1 next year as well. For Kyoto’s sake, they are 100% safe now, while for Omiya alot has to go wrong if they are to be relegated.
Omiya got off to the best start, and took the lead in the 12th minute through Lavric, who scored after Kyoto’s goalie had to give a rebound to a shot from Fujimoto. Kyoto tried to get back into the match after the early goal, but the closest they got were through a few half-chances. Hayashi got a rare start, and the long-haired striker equalized after being set up by Yanagisawa in the 58th minute. Hayashi had a couple of big chances earlier as well, and didn’t play too badly. Lavric put the ball in the net once more just before the end, but were called off for off-side. All in all a fair result, and Omiya had 11 shots to Kyoto’s 13.
Kashiwa Reysol Oita Trinita 0-2
O: Suzuki 78’, Uemoto 82’
Reysol and Oita battle it out in a very entertaining match with plenty of chances. Oita ended up winning 2-0, and with that kept their hopes alive of a top 3 finish. It was fully deserved as well, as Oita had the most of the chances and most of the possession. Usually Oita have been very careful away this season, but this match they attacked with all their might. Despite heavy pretssure on Reysol, they didn’t manage to score, and actually had to wait until the 78th minute before the opening goal. Suzuki fired away a piledriver from just outside the box that flew into the low-corner, and suddenly the visitors were 1-0 up. Just 4 minutes later Uemoto showed up on the far post to head home the 2nd goal for Oita. Both teams should have scored earlier in the match though, and in the en Oita outshot Reysol 16-7.
Yokohama F Marinos Tokyo Verdy 2-0
Y: Matsuda 59’, Aria Hasegawa 90’
Yokohama had an easy task beating a poor Verdy side at home this round, and ended up winning 2-0. The home team had the most of the chances, and it was a fully deserved win. Verdy didn’t create a single real goalscoring opportunity the whole match, and only had some weak finishes from distance that never really troubled the goalkeeper. Marinos’ first goal came in the 59th minute, as Matsuda’s leap-shot bundled over Verdy’s keeper. Not impressive by Doi in Verdy’s goal. Marinos kept on with the pressure, but had to wait until the 90th minute before they got their 2nd goal through Hasegawa. Verdy looked poor for the entire match, especially up front, where they play with strikers that wouldn’t even be good enough for a mediocre J2 team. With Hulk left earlier in the season and Diego suspended as well as Oguro not being the same player now as he was 3 years ago with Gamba it doesn’t bid well for Verdy. Marinos outshot them 15-7.
Kashima Antlers Jubilo Iwata 1-0
K: Iwamasa 90’
A last-minute goal from captain Daiki Iwamasa gave Antlers 3 very important points that might be what gives them the title. 2 points clear with just 1 match left, Antlers only need 1 point in their last match against last-placed Consadole to win the title as they have a far superior goal-difference. Antlers looked to be in total control of this match already from the start, but despite alot of ball possession they didn’t manage to score. They had some chances though, but the finishing were a bit unlucky. Jubilo had a few efforts from distance, but never really threatened Antlers. Iwamasa’s goal came in the 89th minute after he headed home a corner-kick. That sent the 30 000 in the crowd into eruption, and it might be the difference between 1st and 2nd this season. Antler’s outshot Jubilo 13-7.
Kawasaki Frontale Vissel Kobe 4-0
K: Chong Tese 4’,63’, Juninho 66’,90’
Frontale impressed by beating an in-form Kobe side 4-0 at home this round, which means they still got a tiny chance of finishing 1st this season. But then Antlers has to lose their last match, and Frontale has to win by atleast a couple of goals to get a better goal-aggregate.
The match weren’t as one-sided as the result suggests here, and Kobe looked just as good if not even better tan Frontale at times. Chong Tese gave the home-side a great start though with a nice finish alone with Kobe’s keeper after being played through elegantly by Juninho. Kobe had several huge chances after that to equalize, especially through Okubo who missed a sitter. Instea Chong doubled his tally after a scramble inside the box in the 63rd minute. Juninho did 3-0 shortly after on a PK after Kitamoto got sent off for a professional foul. The brazilian added another with a beautiful placed shot in injury-time to make it 4-0. Frontale had 15 shots to Kobe’s 13.
Gamba Osaka Urawa Red Diamonds 1-0
G: Endo 85’
The season went from bad to worse for Urawa as they crashed 1-0 at Gamba this round. That means they can’t finish any higher than 4th, and will therefore drop out of ACL as well. Coach Engels has been told he will be replaced as the season ends as well, so clearly Urawa aren’t happy with how things have gone this year. Gamba won the ACL, and rescued their season with that. In the league they’ve struggled a bit more, and are all the way down in 8th. It was a thrilling match, with huge chances at both ends. Gamba should have taken the lead in the 20th minute when both Lucas and Endo hit the post on a double-chance. Just minutes later Tulio’s header hit the bar, so both teams were saved by the woodwork. the only goal of the game came in the 85th minute through Yasuhito Endo, on a rare for him, header. Gamba got Yamazaki sent off just before the break, but 20 minutes into the 2nd half Urawa’s Edmilson received the marching order as well. All in all a fair result, but it could have gone either way. Gamba ha 15 shots to Urawa’s 13.
Shimizu S-Pulse JEF Utd Ichihara 3-2
S: Hyodo 29’, Own-goal 39’, Okazaki 77’
J: Maki 33’,86’
2 goals from Seiichiro Maki weren’t enough for JEF as they lost 2-3 away against Shimizu. That means JEF has to win their last match if they want a chance to avoid relegation this season. Shimizu got off to a good start, and had several chances in the opening minutes. The first goal came in the 29th minute, when Hyodo fired home a powerful volley-shot. Maki equalized with a terrific header just minutes later. Right before the break, JEF’s goalkeeper made an horrendous error which resulted the 2-1 goal for Shimizu. As the 2nd half progressed, we didn’t see that many chances, until Okazaki came down the left-hand side and fired home the 3-1 goal in the 77th minute. Maki scored another one from the header in the 86th minute, but JEF couldn’t find another goal, and eventually lost. Both teams had 9 shots on goal.
J2 - round 44 results
Shonan Bellmare FC Gifu 3-0
S: Ishihara 15’, Adiel 72’, Tuto 80’
Shonan kept their promotion hopes alive with a comfortable 3-0 win at home vs struggling Gifu. But for Shonan to reach 3rd, both Cerezo and Vegalta has to drop points in their last game, so it’s not too likely. Shonan took command early on, and topscorer Ishihara reacted quickest to a loose ball to make it 1-0 in the 15th minute. The first half saw a lot of poor passing at both ends, which prevented the teams from coming to too many chances. It looked better in the 2nd half, atleast for Shonan’s sake, and the home-team scored 2 more goals to make it 3-0. First Adiel with a nice free-kick, before supersub Tuto added another just a few minutes later. All in all a very deserved win for Shonan, and it was a big gap in quality between the 2 teams this match. Shonan had 12 shots to Gifu’s 4.
Roasso Kumamoto Sanfrecce Hiroshima 1-2
R: Kijima 57’
S: Sato 39’,87’
Sanfrecce are only 3 points away from reaching the 100 point mark now, and with one match left to play they look set to make it. Roasso were unlucky to lose here though, as they fought hard all throughout the match. Roasso’s unbeaten run stopped at 6 matches with this, but they have every right to be happy about their performance here as well. J2-topscorer Hisato Sato gave the visitors the lead with a nice header from a Kota Hattori cross in the 39th minute, and that was the only goal we saw in the first half despite several big chances at both ends. Kijima, who recovered from his injury earlier than expected for this match, equalized in the 57th minute after being nicely played through by Uemura in the middle. Sanfrecce had the most of the chances, but Roasso held on well all the way until the dying minutes, when Sato scored his 2nd to give Sanfrecce the win. Sanfrecce had 18 shots to Roasso’s 9, so overall it was a deserved win. Roasso as well deserves credit for their performance though.
Ehime FC Montedio Yamagata 2-3
E: Aono 11’, 33’
M: Hasegawa 13’, Ishikawa 88’, Toyoda 90’
Montedio made sure they will finish 2nd this season, and with that be guaranteed a place in J1 next season with a 3-2 away win over Ehime. For long all points looked set to stay in Ehime though, but 2 late goals from Montedio turned the match around. It was a frentic start to the match, with Ehime’s Aono making it 1-0 with a well-placed freekick in the 11th minute before Hasegawa of Montedio equalizing just 2 minutes later after showing great skills inside the box. Aono scored once more from a free-kick in the 33rd minute, which put Ehime back in the lead. After that the match were evenly played, with neither of the teams managing to create too much dangerous up front. Montedio looked the most dangerous side, but their equalizer didn’t come before the 88th minute, as Ishikawa scored from a set-piece situation. After Ehime’s Tada couldn’t hold a shot from Watanabe, Yohei Toyoda poked in the rebound to make it 2-3 just 2 minutes later, and with that gave Montedio all 3 points. Overall a draw would have been the most fair result, and Ehime had 11 shots to Montedio’s 12.
Sagan Tosu Vegalta Sendai 4-1
S: Fujita 11’,44’,87’, Uchima 17’
V: Nakajima 26’
The biggest match of the round took place in Tosu, where Sagan beat Vegalta 4-1. A very strong performance, which means Vegalta has to win their last match to be sure of finishing 3rd. Sagan only got a theoretical chance of making it, but were by far the better team this match. The biggest difference however, were Yoshihito Fujita. A hat-trick from the prolific goalscorer, who’s linked with several J1 clubs now, gave Sagan all 3 points. He opened the scoring already after 11 minutes, and just 6 minutes later Uchimura had doubled Sagan’s lead. Nakajima reduced to 1-2 in the 26th minute with a well-placed shot, but another goal from Fujita just before the break put Sagan 2 up again. Vegalta fought hard to get back into the match, and came close to scoring on several occasions. Both Sekiguchi and Nakashima were constant threats, but their efforts didn’t result in any goals. Instead Fujita completed his hattrick 3 minutes from full-time. A well-deserved win, and Sagan outshot Vegalta 20-16.
Thespa Kusatsu Cerezo Osaka 0-4
C: Kagawa 21’, 68’, Inui 32’, Kaio 50’
Cerezo impressed by winning 4-0 away at Thespa, and with that kept their hopes alive for finishing 3th which gives playoff. It was never any doubt about where the points would end, as Cerezo dominated from beginning to end, and looked lethal every time they attacked. Kagawa once again put in a marvellous performance, and scored 2 more goals to take his tally to 17 this season. Not bad for a midfielder, and considering his age it’s even more remarkable. Cerezo’s new formation seems to work really good, and Kagawa and Inui in their offensive midfield roles causes alot of problem for the opposition. Both contributed alot with offensive runs and neat passing here, and the 2 were involved in all of Cerezo’s 4 goals. Kagawa gave Cerezo the lead after 21 minutes, and Inui doubled that lead 11 minutes later. Thespa seemed to be atleast one level beneath Cerezo this match, and didn’t create anything that challenged Cerezo’s goalkeeper. Kaio made it 3-0 five minutes after the break before Kagawa scored his 2nd in the 68th minute. The win could have been much bigger, but 4-0 is a result Cerezo should be happy about. Cerezo outshot Thespa 21-9.
Ventforet Kofu Avispa Fukuoka 0-1
A: Nakamura 87’
Avispa beat Kofu 1-0 away in a match that didn’t mean much to either side. Both are stuck in the middle of the table, and only separated by 1 place now. The match had few chances, and it was clear both teams were looking forward to end their disappointing season. Maranhao were one of few players that were looking lively, and the brazilian striker created several big chances for the home-team. But overall it was a dull match, and the winning goal came 3 minutes from full-time, as Nakamura sent away a powerful distance shot that went by Kofu’s keeper. Kofu had 12 shots to Avispa’s 11.
Mito Hollyhock Yokohama FC 2-3
M: Nishino 49’, Arata 90’
Y: Namba 21’, 53’, Anderson 85’
Yokohama extended their unbeaten run to 6 matches with a nice 3-2 away win over Mito. That means Yokohama climbed above Mito on the table, and are now in 10th. It was an even match, but in the end Yokohama deserved the points. Namba gave them the lead in the 21st minute with a nice free-kick. Nishino equalized for Mito shortly after the break, but Namba responded almost immediately after that with another goal. Anderson did 3-1 with just 5 minutes left. Arata reduced to 2-3 on a penalty in injury-time, but it was too little too late for Mito. Mito had 16 shots to Yokohama’s 8.
S: Ishihara 15’, Adiel 72’, Tuto 80’
Shonan kept their promotion hopes alive with a comfortable 3-0 win at home vs struggling Gifu. But for Shonan to reach 3rd, both Cerezo and Vegalta has to drop points in their last game, so it’s not too likely. Shonan took command early on, and topscorer Ishihara reacted quickest to a loose ball to make it 1-0 in the 15th minute. The first half saw a lot of poor passing at both ends, which prevented the teams from coming to too many chances. It looked better in the 2nd half, atleast for Shonan’s sake, and the home-team scored 2 more goals to make it 3-0. First Adiel with a nice free-kick, before supersub Tuto added another just a few minutes later. All in all a very deserved win for Shonan, and it was a big gap in quality between the 2 teams this match. Shonan had 12 shots to Gifu’s 4.
Roasso Kumamoto Sanfrecce Hiroshima 1-2
R: Kijima 57’
S: Sato 39’,87’
Sanfrecce are only 3 points away from reaching the 100 point mark now, and with one match left to play they look set to make it. Roasso were unlucky to lose here though, as they fought hard all throughout the match. Roasso’s unbeaten run stopped at 6 matches with this, but they have every right to be happy about their performance here as well. J2-topscorer Hisato Sato gave the visitors the lead with a nice header from a Kota Hattori cross in the 39th minute, and that was the only goal we saw in the first half despite several big chances at both ends. Kijima, who recovered from his injury earlier than expected for this match, equalized in the 57th minute after being nicely played through by Uemura in the middle. Sanfrecce had the most of the chances, but Roasso held on well all the way until the dying minutes, when Sato scored his 2nd to give Sanfrecce the win. Sanfrecce had 18 shots to Roasso’s 9, so overall it was a deserved win. Roasso as well deserves credit for their performance though.
Ehime FC Montedio Yamagata 2-3
E: Aono 11’, 33’
M: Hasegawa 13’, Ishikawa 88’, Toyoda 90’
Montedio made sure they will finish 2nd this season, and with that be guaranteed a place in J1 next season with a 3-2 away win over Ehime. For long all points looked set to stay in Ehime though, but 2 late goals from Montedio turned the match around. It was a frentic start to the match, with Ehime’s Aono making it 1-0 with a well-placed freekick in the 11th minute before Hasegawa of Montedio equalizing just 2 minutes later after showing great skills inside the box. Aono scored once more from a free-kick in the 33rd minute, which put Ehime back in the lead. After that the match were evenly played, with neither of the teams managing to create too much dangerous up front. Montedio looked the most dangerous side, but their equalizer didn’t come before the 88th minute, as Ishikawa scored from a set-piece situation. After Ehime’s Tada couldn’t hold a shot from Watanabe, Yohei Toyoda poked in the rebound to make it 2-3 just 2 minutes later, and with that gave Montedio all 3 points. Overall a draw would have been the most fair result, and Ehime had 11 shots to Montedio’s 12.
Sagan Tosu Vegalta Sendai 4-1
S: Fujita 11’,44’,87’, Uchima 17’
V: Nakajima 26’
The biggest match of the round took place in Tosu, where Sagan beat Vegalta 4-1. A very strong performance, which means Vegalta has to win their last match to be sure of finishing 3rd. Sagan only got a theoretical chance of making it, but were by far the better team this match. The biggest difference however, were Yoshihito Fujita. A hat-trick from the prolific goalscorer, who’s linked with several J1 clubs now, gave Sagan all 3 points. He opened the scoring already after 11 minutes, and just 6 minutes later Uchimura had doubled Sagan’s lead. Nakajima reduced to 1-2 in the 26th minute with a well-placed shot, but another goal from Fujita just before the break put Sagan 2 up again. Vegalta fought hard to get back into the match, and came close to scoring on several occasions. Both Sekiguchi and Nakashima were constant threats, but their efforts didn’t result in any goals. Instead Fujita completed his hattrick 3 minutes from full-time. A well-deserved win, and Sagan outshot Vegalta 20-16.
Thespa Kusatsu Cerezo Osaka 0-4
C: Kagawa 21’, 68’, Inui 32’, Kaio 50’
Cerezo impressed by winning 4-0 away at Thespa, and with that kept their hopes alive for finishing 3th which gives playoff. It was never any doubt about where the points would end, as Cerezo dominated from beginning to end, and looked lethal every time they attacked. Kagawa once again put in a marvellous performance, and scored 2 more goals to take his tally to 17 this season. Not bad for a midfielder, and considering his age it’s even more remarkable. Cerezo’s new formation seems to work really good, and Kagawa and Inui in their offensive midfield roles causes alot of problem for the opposition. Both contributed alot with offensive runs and neat passing here, and the 2 were involved in all of Cerezo’s 4 goals. Kagawa gave Cerezo the lead after 21 minutes, and Inui doubled that lead 11 minutes later. Thespa seemed to be atleast one level beneath Cerezo this match, and didn’t create anything that challenged Cerezo’s goalkeeper. Kaio made it 3-0 five minutes after the break before Kagawa scored his 2nd in the 68th minute. The win could have been much bigger, but 4-0 is a result Cerezo should be happy about. Cerezo outshot Thespa 21-9.
Ventforet Kofu Avispa Fukuoka 0-1
A: Nakamura 87’
Avispa beat Kofu 1-0 away in a match that didn’t mean much to either side. Both are stuck in the middle of the table, and only separated by 1 place now. The match had few chances, and it was clear both teams were looking forward to end their disappointing season. Maranhao were one of few players that were looking lively, and the brazilian striker created several big chances for the home-team. But overall it was a dull match, and the winning goal came 3 minutes from full-time, as Nakamura sent away a powerful distance shot that went by Kofu’s keeper. Kofu had 12 shots to Avispa’s 11.
Mito Hollyhock Yokohama FC 2-3
M: Nishino 49’, Arata 90’
Y: Namba 21’, 53’, Anderson 85’
Yokohama extended their unbeaten run to 6 matches with a nice 3-2 away win over Mito. That means Yokohama climbed above Mito on the table, and are now in 10th. It was an even match, but in the end Yokohama deserved the points. Namba gave them the lead in the 21st minute with a nice free-kick. Nishino equalized for Mito shortly after the break, but Namba responded almost immediately after that with another goal. Anderson did 3-1 with just 5 minutes left. Arata reduced to 2-3 on a penalty in injury-time, but it was too little too late for Mito. Mito had 16 shots to Yokohama’s 8.
Friday, 28 November 2008
J1 - round 32 results
O: Kobayashi 53’, Leandro 88’
A point a-piece for Albirex and Omiya, which is a result both can live with. On 39 points both, they are not safe yet though, as there’s only 2 points down to 16th place. Albirex-star Alessandro recovered earlier than expected from his foot injury, and started this match. He was involved in alot of the action, and gave Albirex the lead in the 35th minute from the penalty-spot. Omiya received a penaly on their own in the 53rd minute, and Kobayashi made no mistake from the spot and made it 1-1. Minutes after, Alessandro were on target again as he headed home a cross from a free-kick, and put Albirex in the lead again. However, Alessandro were sent off as he took his shirt off in the celebration after the goal, and suddenly Albirex were one man down. Omiya dominated after that, being one man more, and came close on several occasions before Leandro finally equalized in the 88th minute. A dramatic end to a dramatic match, and in the end a draw seemed fair. Albirex had 7 shots to Omiya’s 11.
JEF lost 0-3 at home to Marinos this round, which means they are in deep trouble now with regards to staying in J1. Still only 2 points up to safe place though, but there’s only 2 matches remaining as well. They looked quite poor against Marinos this match, and it was a well-deserved win for the visiting-side. JEF didn’t look too bad before the break, and looked to be on level terms with Marinos. All that changed after the break though, as Marinos scored 3 quick goal within 8 minutes to make it 0-3. A disappointing match for JEF, who looked to be totally without self-confidence. They need to up their game against Shimizu next round if they want to stay in J1. JEF had only 5 shots to Marinos’ 17.
K: Sugiyama 56’, Suganuma 74’, Koga 86’
A last minute goal from Robert Cullen gave Jubilo a much-needed point, which means they are still ahead of 16th placed Verdy on goal-difference. Reysol proved to be a tough opponent though, and it was a very entertaining match with lots of chances at both ends. Gilsinho opened up the scoring in the 18th minute with a nice finish from close range, and Rodrigo doubled that lead in the 56th minute. Sugiyama reduced to 1-2 for Reysol before in-form winger Suganuma equalized in the 74th minute. When Koga scored another one in the 86th minute, Reysol looked to have the win in their pockets,but in injury-time Cullen appeared and scored the 3-3 equalizer. A dramatic end, and in the end a draw seems like a fair result. Jubilo had 16 shots to Reysol’s 17.
C: Davi 27’
Verdy disappointed by only managing a point at home against punch-bags Consadole. That was Consadole’s first point in 9 matches, and Verdy are desperate for points at this stage, which means the 2 points dropped here could turn out to be deadly. Consadole got off to the best start, as Davi were fouled inside the penalty-box after 26 minutes. Davi converted the following PK with ease to give the visitors the lead. Verdy’s striker Oguro equalized right before the break to make it 1-1. IT was a physical match, and the referee handed out 10 yellow cards. Verdy had the most of the chances, but they didn’t really look that good, and Consadole could even had gotten away with the win if they had been a bit more efficient. In the end Verdy should find themselves disappointed with the poor result, which could mean they have to play in J2 next season. Verdy had 15 shots to Consadole’s 8.
Gamba’s season seems over already, and they are probably happy by winning the ACL-trophy and don’t realyl care about the league anymore. After a heavy defeat against FC Tokyo at home last round, it got even worse here as they crashed to a 0-4 defeat at the hands of Frontale. That means Gamba are all the way down in 9th, with 3 straight losses. Frontale are in 3rd, and are 3 points behind leading Antlers now.However, Antlers has a much better goal-difference, so 3 points should be enough for Antlers to be sure of finishing ahead of Frontale. The home-team looked best for pretty much the entire match, but had to wait until the 44th minute for the first goal. Chong Tese headed home the opening goal, which meant Frontale led 1-0 by half-time. 2 quick goals from Taniguchi and Juninho shortly after the break secured Kawasaki’s lead, and Igawa took all doubt away with his 4-0 goal in the 70th minute. A humiliating defeat for Gamba, but for Frontale it should secured them a top 3 finish which will give them a place in ACL next season. Frontale had 20 shots to Gamba’s 12.
Kashima strengthened their title-chances with a well-deserved 1-0 away win against title-rivals Oita away. Kashima were by far the better team, and the win could have been alot bigger if they had scored on some of their other chances. The only goal of the game came 10 minutes into the 2nd half, when Atsuto Uchida came forward on one of his long-runs, and with a delicate finish scored the winning goal. Oita looked a little bit better after conceding the goal, as Kashima seemed to gear down a bit. but in the end it was a well-deserved win for Kashima, who leads by 2 points on Nagoya now with 2 games left. Kashima are up against 2 of the poorer teams in the league in their last matches as well, so they should be able to finish 1st now. Kashima had 9 shots to Oita’s 8.
N: Magnum 1’,26’, Johnsen 90’
With the return of Magnum to the squad, Nagoya looked much better, and the brazilian playmaker scored after only 1 minute in his comeback from injury. He were on target again in the 26th minute after finishing off a nice cross from the wing, and Nagoya looked to be in total control of the game. Some 10 minutes into the 2nd half, Yanagisawa were on target to give the home-team a lifeline, and shortly after the former Japan NT striker scored his 2nd of the day, and 13th of the season to make it 2-2 from the spot. Kyoto suddenly looked the better team, and could have scored even more goals if they had been a bit more efficient. Instead, 6 minutes on injury-time, Frode Johnsen were fouled inside the penalty box and the tall norwegian made no mistake from the spot and gave Nagoya the winner. It was a very controversial decision though, as there are question marks whether or not it was a foul or purely a dive that made the norwegian striker fall to ground. Kyoto had 17 shots to Nagoya’s 9, and should have deserved atleast a point.
S: Edamura 22’, Yajima 82’
Urawa’s title hope took a beating as they fell to a strong SHimizu squad at home,losing 2-1. With a win Urawa would have been just 1 point behind Antlers in 1st, but now the gap is 4 points and with only 2 matches remaining it looks almost an impossible task. Shimizu took the lead after 2 minutes, after Edamura completed a nice attack by scoring on Tsuzuki in Urawa’s goal. Urawa tried to fight back, and both Tulio and Tanaka had big chances to score. Tulio finally managed to break the Shimizu-defence with a strong finish in the 67th minute, and Urawa just continued to attack after the goal and looked the most likely winner at that stage. Shimizu didn’t give up though, and in the 82nd minute Yajima scored on a counter-attack to give SHimizu the win. A real blow for Urawa, who currently are in danger of finishing outside top 3 as well. Both teams had 14 shots.
T: Cabore 83’
Tokyo dropped 2 valuable points as they only managed a point away against Vissel this round. With a win they would be on even points with 3rd placed Frontale. For Kobe’s sake, they have now gone 6 matches without losing. Tanaka gave Kobe the lead after only 17 minutes after a quick counter-attack set him up. The home-team continued to put Tokyo under pressure, but despite several chances the score remained 1-0. Tokyo got more into the match in the 2nd half, but they had to wait until the 83rd minute for the equalizer when Cabore found the net. In the end Kobe should have deserved all points, but they can only blame themselves for the poor finishing. Vissel had 22 shots to Tokyo’s 16.
J2 - round 43 results
E: Yokoyama 26’, Tanaka 76’
Avispa disappointed a bit as they only managed a 2-2 draw at home against bottom-dwellers Ehime. Avispa haven’t won for 5 matches now, which understates how poor their season has gone. Tipped as a candidate for promotion, Avispa haven’t been near that standard, and are at best a mid-table team. Yokoyama gave Ehime the lead after 26 minutes, but it was Avispa that looked the best in the first half. That was pretty much Ehime’s only chance before the break. Avispa turned the match around shortly after the break, as Okubo and Tanaka both got on the scoring-sheet. Immediately after Tanaka’s goal, Niwa got sent off for Avispa, which meant Ehime could get back into the game. In the 76th minute they got their equalizer through Tanaka. They could had scored even more goals, but poor finishing let them down. Ehime had 12 shots to Avispa’s 9.
S: Adiel 5’
Cerezo kept their promotion-hopes alive with a strong 2-1 win at home against fellow promotion-chasers Shonan. Shonan are not out of the race yet, but their form is quite bad at the moment and it’s unlikely they will be able tu surpass both Cerezo and Vegalta on the table. Cerezo’s chances are slim though, as Vegalta can’t take more than 2 points from their last 2 matches. Cerezo has to win their matches, so alot has to go right if Cerezo wants 3rd.
They got off to a very poor start, and Adiel gav SHonan the lead after only 5 minutes on a penalty-kick. They were quick to shake off the early disappointment though, and in the 31st minute Sakemoto’s free-kick went directly into the goal which made it 1-1. Cerezo looked very dangerous, and came up with tons of chances to score. Shonan’s tight defence were hard to break down though, and by half-time the score were still 1-1. Kagawa came up with a little big of magic as he dribbled past a few players before hammering it home with a left-foot drive to make it 2-1 immediately after restart. A great goal from the young midfielder, who’s had a marvellous season. Cerezo controlled pretty much the rest of the match, and took a very deserved win in the end. FW Komatsu were injured early in the match, which meant Furuhashi came on. Kaio returns from suspension next round though, so they should still be able to field a strong attack in the next match. For the 4th time in a row, Cerezo had over 20 000 in the stands, which is even higher than city-rivals Gamba has on their games. Cerezo had 20 shots to Shonan’s 8.
V: Uruno 3’,67’
The match between Mito and Kofu had a dramatic end to it, as Mito’s Akahoshi blasted a PK over the bar in injury-time. Earlier in the match, the former Urawa-starlet had converted a penalty, but he didn’t manage to make it 2 in a row. On both PK’s, Kofu got a player sent off, and finished the match with only 9 players. Out-of-favour striker, Jun Uruno, got his first start in over 20 matches, and he put in on a great show, scoring 2 goals to give Kofu the win. He gave Kofu the lead after only 3 minutes, as the home-team looked very aggressive already from the start. Akahoshi equalized just before the break from the PK, but Uruno were on target again in the 67th minute. All in all a good outing from both teams, but in the end Kofu looked marginally better and deserved the win. Mito had 14 shots to Kofu’s 10.
R: Kijima 64’
Montedio are only 2 points away from securing a place in J1 next year, as they are 5 points ahead of Vegalta with 2 matches left. Their goal-advantage is much better though, so in theory only a point from their 2 last matches should be enough. They surprisingly struggled when they met Roasso though, who played their 8th match in a row withot losing. Great form from the Kyushu-outfit, and they nearly got away with the win here as well. Their trio up front, lead by the big Kijima, caused alot of trouble for Montedio’s defence, and the visitors came to several chances. They had to wait until the 64th minute for the opening goal though, which came through Kijima. Montedio took more over after the goal, as Roasso decided to pack their defence. That meant Montedio had time to build up their own play, and suddenly looked much more dangerous. Their efforts paid off, as Toyoda equalized with jsut a few minutes remaining. Earlier in the half, Roasso DF Ichimura had been sent of, which helped Montedio’s cause. All in all a fair result, but Roasso looked marginally better and might have deserved all points. Both teams had 11 shots on goal.
T: Tokura 6’,70’, Toriizuka 60’
Sanfrecce prevailed as winners in what would be one of the most thrilling matches all season. After 2 goals in the dying minutes, they turned around a 2-3 result to win 4-3 against Thespa. The match doesn’t mean that much to either teams, but they both came up with alot of nice play and effort. Surprisingly, Thespa looked to be on level terms with Sanfrecce for most of the match, and it was the away-team that took the lead after only 6 minutes, when Tokura were played free by Shimada. Takahagi equalized shortly after though, and by half-time the teams were still deadlocked. Tomoaki Makino put Sanfrecce 2-1 up from the penalty spot in the 55th minute. Veteran-player Toriizuka made 2-2 shortly after with a powerful shot, and Tokura scored his 2nd to make it 2-3 in the 70th minute. Thespa packed their defence after that, as they tried to hold on for the lead, and it nearly lasted. But in the 89th minute Makino scored his 2nd, and just a minute later winger Moriwaki completed the turn-around to give Sanfrecce all 3 points. Sanfrecce are still able to reach the 100 point mark due to that, if they win their 2 last matches. Sanfrecce had 19 shots to Thespa’s 13.
Sagan surprisingly lost to bottom-placed Tokushima this round. as they crashed to a 2-0 defeat away. That pretty much ends their hopes of promotion, and they can only blame themselves for that. With 3 losses in the last 4 matches, Sagan looks really out of it at the moment. Tokushima came out in a high tempo, and immediately put Sagan under pressure. Despite some dangerous chances, they didn’t manage to score though, and Sagan took more and more over as the first half progressed. But it was the home-team that took the lead, as Ishida finished off a cross from Shiokawa to make it 1-0. Tokushima impressed with alot of quick-passing, and also managed to keep a very tight defensive line. Sagan did their best to get back into the match, but instead it was Tokushima that doubled their lead from the penalty-spot, through former Kofu-ace Kuranuki. This was Tokushima’s final home-match of the season, and they gave their home-fans a nice finish to a long and hard season for the Shikoku-outfit. Tokushima had 10 shots to Sagans 13.
V: Hirase 48’, Nakahara 90’
A last-minute goal from Nakahara secured a point for Vegalta, who are still safely placed in 3rd. That goal might prove to be worth gold though, as it can be the difference of a 3rd or 4th finish for Vegalta. Vegalta needs only 3 points from their last 2 matches to be safe of finishing 3rd, but their form isn’t the best and they meet 2 fairly good teams. Yokohama looked quite lively this match, and took Vegalta by surprise as they sprung to an early lead after Nejime finished off a quick counter-attack by scoring the 1-0 goal. Yokohama defended well after the early goal, and Vegalta had trouble breaking through their defence. A few minutes into the 2nd half, veteran-striker Hirase equalized to make it 1-1, anf the teams were levelled again. Yokohama continued to attack, and it paid off in the 61st minute as Nejime once again put Yokohama in the lead. Vegalta threw everyone forward to chase the equalizer, and in injury-time it finally paid off as Nakahara poked in the equalizer. A pity for Yokohama, who deserved more from such a good performance. Yokohama had 10 shots to Vegalta’s 11.
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