C: Kaio 22’, Kagawa 71’
Up until 5 minutes remaining, things looked great for Cerezo who were up 2-1. but 2 late goals from the home team turned the match around, and for Cerezo’s sake it must have been one of the most bitter defeats this season. The loss means Cerezo are falling further behind the other teams battling fo a top 3 finish, but there are still plenty of points to play for so everything isn’t lost yet.
Cerezo got off to a good start, and put Avispa under pressure immediately. They attacked mainly down the wing, and set up Kaio for several chances. In the 22nd minute, the talented brazilian met a cross from Yanagisawa to make it 1-0. Perhaps he should have scored on one of his other chances as well, but by half-time Cerezo were 1-0 up. Avispa looked a bit more lively after the break, and started creating chances on their own. Their topscorer and prolific striker Okubo equalized in the 69th minute only to see Kagawa take the visitors back into the lead a few minutes later. The end to the match were dramatic, and within the last 5 minutes Avispa turned the match around to take all 3 points. First a goal from Tanaka, before Okubo scored his 2nd of the day with a precise header in injury-time.
All in all the teams were very evenly contested, with 15 shots on goal each. Cerezo were best before the break, but Avispa took more and more over in the 2nd half. Credit to Avispa for coming from behind to take the win, but at the same time it’s disappointing from Cerezo’s side to let it happen in such an important match. Perhaps that’s one of their main problems, not being able to win they need it the most. It happened in 2005, when they lost the title on the last day, and then in 2006 when they got relegated. At the end of last year as well they only needed to win their last 2 matches to get promoted, but also then they messed it up.
Ventforet Kofu FC Gifu 4-0
V: Onishi 9’,58’, Fujita 54’, Sales 70’
Cerezo got off to a good start, and put Avispa under pressure immediately. They attacked mainly down the wing, and set up Kaio for several chances. In the 22nd minute, the talented brazilian met a cross from Yanagisawa to make it 1-0. Perhaps he should have scored on one of his other chances as well, but by half-time Cerezo were 1-0 up. Avispa looked a bit more lively after the break, and started creating chances on their own. Their topscorer and prolific striker Okubo equalized in the 69th minute only to see Kagawa take the visitors back into the lead a few minutes later. The end to the match were dramatic, and within the last 5 minutes Avispa turned the match around to take all 3 points. First a goal from Tanaka, before Okubo scored his 2nd of the day with a precise header in injury-time.
All in all the teams were very evenly contested, with 15 shots on goal each. Cerezo were best before the break, but Avispa took more and more over in the 2nd half. Credit to Avispa for coming from behind to take the win, but at the same time it’s disappointing from Cerezo’s side to let it happen in such an important match. Perhaps that’s one of their main problems, not being able to win they need it the most. It happened in 2005, when they lost the title on the last day, and then in 2006 when they got relegated. At the end of last year as well they only needed to win their last 2 matches to get promoted, but also then they messed it up.
Ventforet Kofu FC Gifu 4-0
V: Onishi 9’,58’, Fujita 54’, Sales 70’
Gifu are really poor at the moment, and lost their 6th game in a row against Kofu this round. 3 of those losses were by a big margin, and overall the goal-aggregate is 2-22. Gifu’s fans are probably hoping the season are already over, as they are falling like a stone on the table at the moment.
Kofu took an early lead through Onishi after only 9 minutes, when the home-team combined well with quick passing and timed runs. That set the tone for the match, and although Gifu weren’t too bad in the first half they always seemed to be one step behind Kofu. They got to some few chances though, but nothing that troubled the goalie. After the break it was a one way street leading to Gifu’s goal, and the visitors didn’t have a single shot on goal that half. Fujita added a 2nd in the 5th minute before Onishi scored again around the hour break. Brazilian striker Sales completed the humiliation of Gifu with a tricky shot in the 70th minute. With the win Kofu are unbeaten for 9 matches now, and are closing in on the teams above them. IT might be too little too late, but nothing is impossible as the teams above are stealing points from eachoter every round. Kofu had 13 shots to Gifu’s 4.
Kofu took an early lead through Onishi after only 9 minutes, when the home-team combined well with quick passing and timed runs. That set the tone for the match, and although Gifu weren’t too bad in the first half they always seemed to be one step behind Kofu. They got to some few chances though, but nothing that troubled the goalie. After the break it was a one way street leading to Gifu’s goal, and the visitors didn’t have a single shot on goal that half. Fujita added a 2nd in the 5th minute before Onishi scored again around the hour break. Brazilian striker Sales completed the humiliation of Gifu with a tricky shot in the 70th minute. With the win Kofu are unbeaten for 9 matches now, and are closing in on the teams above them. IT might be too little too late, but nothing is impossible as the teams above are stealing points from eachoter every round. Kofu had 13 shots to Gifu’s 4.
We congratulate Sanfrecce with a place in J1 next year...!
Sanfrecce secured their place in J1 next year by beating Ehime 4-1 at home. With that they’ve taken their points tally to 81 already, and with the nearest rival being a whopping 22 points behind Sanfrecce are guaranteed a place within the top 2 at the end of the season.
Sanfrecce had few problems beating Ehime, and Hisato Sato scored his 21th goal of the season to give the home team the lead after 25 minues. Sato’s goal came on a counter-attack, and the small striker tricked a defender before unleashing a powerful shot. 10 minutes later Hattori scored a cracker of a goal, with a left-footed volley shot from around 35 meters out. Morisaki and Aoyama added 2 more in the 2nd half, before Yokotani scored a consolation goal for Ehime with a shot from distance. Sanfrecce had 24 shots to Ehime’s 10.
Shonan Bellmare Vegalta Sendai 1-2
S: Kato 79’
Sanfrecce had few problems beating Ehime, and Hisato Sato scored his 21th goal of the season to give the home team the lead after 25 minues. Sato’s goal came on a counter-attack, and the small striker tricked a defender before unleashing a powerful shot. 10 minutes later Hattori scored a cracker of a goal, with a left-footed volley shot from around 35 meters out. Morisaki and Aoyama added 2 more in the 2nd half, before Yokotani scored a consolation goal for Ehime with a shot from distance. Sanfrecce had 24 shots to Ehime’s 10.
Shonan Bellmare Vegalta Sendai 1-2
S: Kato 79’
V: Ryan Yong Gi 44’, Sugai 90’
Vegalta moved one step closer to J1 with a win over Shonan Bellmare.
Shonan and Vegalta battled it out in Bellmare this round, and it was the visitors that ended up taking a very strong and hugeli important 2-1 win. That suddenly means Vegalta are in the front seat for the 2nd place that gives direct promotion, while Shonan are down in 4th now.
It was an evenly contested battle, but Vegalta had the most of the chances and played with great poise and effort. yan yong Gi gave them the lead just before the break when he turned past a player before taking a right-footed shot from just outside the box.
Vegalta looked best in the beginning of the 2nd half as well, and the midfielders fed the striker Hirase and Nadson with several nice passes. It didn’t result in any goals though, and little by little they allowed Shonan back into the match. Shonan struggled to break down the tight Vegalta defence though, and it took a free-kick for them to get the equalizer. Kato curled it directly into the goal in the 79th minute, and with just a few minutes remaining it looked like the teams would share the points. But in injury-time, Sugai headed home a free-kick to give Vegalta the win. Vegalta outshot Shonan 12-7, and in the end it was well-deserved.
Montedio Yamagata Sagan Tosu 0-1
S: Fujta 28’
Montedio are showing signs that they are cracking up, and lost again at home against Sagan here. With they they’ve only taken 2 points in their last 4 matches, and they can’t really afford more losses now with only 7 matches remaining. They are still in 2nd though, but many of the teams behind has a game in hand.
Montedio got off to a good start, but the final pass or shot didn’t quite match the build-up, and instead Sagan took the lead through who else than Yoshihito Fujita. Under alot of pressure from a defender, Fujita managed to take the shot, and as usual it ended up in the goal. That was his 14th goal of the season. As time went by, Montedio got more and more desperate to find the equalizer,and threw on Baba and Rychelly to strenghten their attack. They got to a few chances, but so did Sagan, who now had acres of space to counter-attack in. All in all a deserved win for the visitors, who with the win joined the race for promotion again, climbing above Cerezo in the table. Sagan had 11 shots to Montedio’s 8.
Roasso players celebrate two wins in a row
Roasso won 2 matches in a row for the first time since they won promotion to J2 when they beat Yokohama 1-0 at home this round. It was fully deserved as well, and Roasso played one of their better matches this season actually.
They sat the tone by putting the visitors under alot of pressure early on. Their numerous chances didn’t result in any goals, and with Yokohama looking threatening on counter-attacks, they backed down a little. Yokohama didn’t match their performance from last round when they beat Sanfrecce, and let Roasso run the play in this one. The home team had to wait until the 89th minute before they got the winning goal. Keisuke Yoshii became the hero of the day by scoring his first ever goal for the club to give them 3 valuable points. Roasso are now only 2 points behind Gifu in 12th. They had 20 shots to Yokohama’s 8.
They sat the tone by putting the visitors under alot of pressure early on. Their numerous chances didn’t result in any goals, and with Yokohama looking threatening on counter-attacks, they backed down a little. Yokohama didn’t match their performance from last round when they beat Sanfrecce, and let Roasso run the play in this one. The home team had to wait until the 89th minute before they got the winning goal. Keisuke Yoshii became the hero of the day by scoring his first ever goal for the club to give them 3 valuable points. Roasso are now only 2 points behind Gifu in 12th. They had 20 shots to Yokohama’s 8.
Mito have now 7 points in their last 3 matches, and are just 1 point behind Yokohama in 10th place. Finishing ahead ofYokohama would be a great feat for such a small club, and form-wise Mito surely looks the strongest at the moment Tokushima on the other, keeps losing and will finish last this season as well.
Tokushima came out in a very defensive formation here, and Mito struggled to break through. Arata had a few big chances though, but the home-fans had to wait until the 2nd half for the first goal. That came jsut after the break, when Kikuoka fired home a shot from distance. Kohei Nishino added another midway through the half. Tokushima weren’t totally hapless though, and actually had several shots this match. Most of them were never going to trouble the goalkeeper though. Mito outshot Tokushima 17-13, and for Tokushima it was the 17th game in a row without a win (!).
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