T: Akamine 90’
Kyoto and Tokyo battled it out in a very entertaining match in which the home team should have taken all 3 points. Kyoto had most of the chances, and once again played a very good match. They are now undefeated for 4 matches, and that against good competition. Kyoto got off to a good start with several big chances in the opening minutes. But the finishing weren’t too good, and especially Fernandinho and Yanagisawa squandered many shots each. Tokyo got to some chances as well, including a header than went via the bar and over, but overall Kyoto looked strongest. Kyoto’s new rock in central defence Hiroki Mizumoto have had a great start to his Kyoto-career, and this match he scored his first ever goal for the club. Just minutes after the half-time break, Mizumoto jumped high to beat everyone in the air on a corner from Fernandinho. A beautiful goal, and Mizumoto looks to be in really good form ahead of the Olympics. After the goal, the match looked pretty much the same, with chances at both ends. But the only difference were that now Tokyo looked most dangerous, with Akamine in particular causing trouble. But it took an error from Kyoto’s goalkeeper for Tokyo and Akamine to score the equalizer, in the very last minute of the match. That meant Kyoto dropped 2 very unnecessary and annoying 2 points in injury-time, but atleast they can be happy to have maintained their good form playing-wise. For Tokyo however, this was the 5th game in a row without a win. Kyoto had 15 shots to Tokyo’s 16.
Nagoya went rampant when they met a flailing Omiya side at home this round, and didn’t stop until they had scored 4 goals. A very impressive win, and Nagoya showed once again that they are to be looked upon as a serious candidate for a top 3 finish this season.
Although the match itself were pretty evenly contested, with both teams getting to chances, the biggest difference layed in attack, with Nagoya’s FW’s looking alot more deadlier than Omiya’s. Yoshimura gave Nagoya the lead after 16 minutes, after some nice attacking down the right-flank. Not too long after, Magnum took a shot from distance that Ezumi in Omiya’s goal fumbled across the goal-line, and suddenly Nagoya were 2-0 up. By then, they looked to be in total control of the match, and Omiya’s players almost seemed to had given up already. Nagoya’s prolific striker and topscorer, the norwegian Frode Johnsen were on target just after the break to make it 3-0, and with that killed any hopes Omiya had of getting back into the game. The rest of the match went on without too much action, but right before the end Sugimoto added a 4th. Actually Omiya had more shots on goal than Nagoya, with 13 against 10.
K: Ito 27’, Chong Tese 66’, Vitor Junior 68’
Urawa haven’t been much consistent lately, and once again they came up with a lacklustre performance which saw a visiting Frontale side beat them 3-1 in front over approximately 52 000 at Saitama. It was a very important win for Frontale, who climbed to 6th with the win here, just 3 points being 2nd placed Urawa. Urawa got off to the best start though, with in-form Tulio hitting the bar with a powerful middle-shot in the opening minutes. Straight after that, Takahara scored the opening goal to make it 1-0 for Urawa after rounding off a Frontale defender. But Kawasaki were soon to get back into the match, and Ito equalized in the 27th minute. After the break, Frontale took more and more over, and in the 66th minute Chong Tese got away on a quick-counter to make it 2-1 for the visitors.Just minutes later new signing and arguably man of the match Vitor Junior added a 3rd for Frontale. Even though Urawa made a few substitutions and adjustment to their squad, they didn’t managed to get back into the match, and Frontale could take a well-deserved win in the end. Frontale had 16 shots to Urawa’s 15.
JEF’s misery doesn’t seem to have and end to it, and once again they ended up as losers when they met a strong Gamba Osaka side at home. However, Gamba had to wait until injury-time in the 2nd half for the winning goal, and JEF played a good match defensively this time. But there was no doubt Gamba deserved the win though, as they controlled most of the match, looking especially strong in midfield. In the absence of playmaker Yasuhito Endo who’s out with hepatitis C, Takahiro Futagawa have stood up as the ”new” natural leader on the pitch for Gamba, and he put in a very impressive performance here, in which he were crowned MVP of the round. Gamba got to alot of chances, and in total they had 20 shots on goal to JEF’s 8. Late-substitute Masato Yamazaki became the hero for Gamba with his last-minute goal, which means Gamba now are in a joint 2nd position, just 2 points behind frontrunners Antlers. This was FW Bare’s last match for Gamba actually, as the star striker has left for Al Ahly in the Emirates in a transfer worth 6 million Euros. Gamba looks weakended up front without him, especially with Bando out with injury as well, so I guess we’ll see another one brought in pretty soon.
Shimizu played one of their better matches this season when they beat an in-form Albirex,unbeaten for 7 matches, 3-0 at home in a entertaining encounter. It was no doubt to whom the points would go to, as Shimizu looked the sharpest for pretty much the entire match. Former Cerezo-striker Nishizawa bagged a double this match, and perhaps the veteran is the answer to Shimizu’s goalscoring problems. The first goal came on a header after a looping cross from Ichikawa down the right-flank side. Albirex’s keeper should have saved it though, but a goal is a goal. Just before the break, Takagi picked up the loose ball from a corner-kick and hammered it in from tight angle. Nishizawa scored his 2nd of the day a few minutes into the 2nd half, this one also from a corner. Although Shimizu for once looked strong in attack, it was their defensive play that were the most impressing thing. They denied the Albirex players any room to play, and kept a clean sheet for the first time in 10 matches. So all in all a very deserved win for Shimizu, who moved 4 points clear of the relegation zone with this result.
Marinos once again ended up on the losing side this round, as they fell to a strong Antlers side at home. The visitors won 2-0, after 2 early goals from Marquinhos and Koroki. The youngster Koroki were given a rare chance from the start instead of the in-effective Yuzo Tashiro, and Koroki impressed with alot of nice movements and finishing skills. Although Koroki have only started 4 matches this season, he’s bagged 4 goals already, which is the double of what the more regular starter Tashiro has.
Antlers got off to a great start and took the lead through Marquinhos after only 12 minutes, when he fired home a shot from distance. The Marinos defence gave him alot of room to aim and shoot, and it wasn’t the only time they seemed lost. They gave away alot of space several times by standing high in the pitch, and against the fast and offensive Kashima players that doesn’t seem a smart move. Koroki doubled Antlers’s lead in the 29th minute, when he beautifully tricked his marker, before turning and shooting past the flailing Marinos keeper. Although Antlers overall looked the best team, it was the home team that had the most of the chances, but their finishing were really off-target this match. That’s been a problem for them earlier this season as well, and they are currently 4 points clear of safe place. Marinos had 12 shots to Antlers’s 7. The Brazil international Marcinho got his debut for Antlers here, and seemed to be a good addition to the team.
J: Naruoka 34’
Oita have become the best home-team in J1 lately, and once again they managed to take all 3 points thanks to a last minute goal from Ueslei. This was Oita’s 6th home win in a row, which takes them as high as 7th. Jubilo however, continues to struggle and might be in danger of facing the drop it this continues.
The match itself were a pretty slow contest, with few chances at both ends. Oita aren’t known for their sparkling offensive play, and are more a team that focuses on their defensive strength. Jubilo managed tu put them under alot of pressure early on though, and in the 34th minute Sho Naruoka gave the visitors the lead. Last round, Naruoka found the net with a cracking shot from distance, and he copied that feat this match as well.
Oita tried to get back into the match though, and in the 2nd half they looked the dominant team. Veteran-striker Ueslei scored a lucky equalizer than Kawaguchi in Jubilo’s goal should have saved in the 69th minute, and with just seconds left to play he scored the winning goal, after being allowed alot of space between the 2 central defenders. FW Yaushito Morishima who’s on loan from Cerezo got his debut here for Oita here, and the striker did a good job although he didn’t take any shots. Oita had 6 shots to Jubilo’s 7.
R: Otani 84’
Reysol lost for the 2nd time in the last 3 matches, and seems a bit out of form now. They played a decent match though, and with a bit more luck they would have ended up on the winning-side. Verdy got off to a good start though, as Fukunishi gave them the lead after only 12 minutes with a shot from just a few metres out. Verdy looked pretty solid for most of the first half actually, and came up with several nice offensive combinations. Reysol looked the sharpest for the 2nd half though, and were unlucky not to equalizer. Both Lee and Alex hit the post, and instead Diego doubled Verdy’s lead from the penalty-spot. Few minutes later Otani reduced for Reysol from close range, but it as too little too late. Verdy had 11 shots to Reysol’s 10, who got centreback Koga sent off in the situation that led to Diego’s PK goal. Verdy managed quite well without Hulk, and new singing Oguro are starting to get in match-form, and seems a good signing for Verdy.
K: Leandro 22’
After 1-1 at home vs Vissel this round, Consadole have now played 4 matches in a row without defeat, which is quite strong considering their low position in the table. For Vissel, it was a bit of a letdown with only a draw, as they entered this match with 3 straight wins under their belt.
Vissel took the lead after 22 minutes when Leandro’s shot were deflected which left the Consadole goalkeeper standing wrong-footed. A somewhat lucky goal, which came in a good Consadole period. The home team didn’t give up though, and looked particularly dangerosu from set-pieces. Right before the break, they received a PK after what looked like a handballl, and the brazilian star Davi converted it with ease.
There were alot of action in the 2nd half as well, with the highlight being Consadole’s GK Takagi being shown the red card for handballing outside the box. It looked kinda clumsy, and suddenly Conadole were reduced to 10 men. Naturally Vissel took more over cause of that, but despite heavy pressure and alot of chances they failed to find the net. Not even when a 2nd Consadole player, Haga, were sent off with 10 minutes left to play, did the manage to find a way past Consadole’s defence. All in all a result Consadole have to be happiest with in the end. Consadole had 8 shots to Vissel’s 12.
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