Ready to rock: J. League 2012 set for kick-off

The 2012 J. League first division kicks off on March 10.

The fixture list has conjured a number of notable clashes, as Gamba Osaka welcome big-spending neighbours Vissel Kobe to Banpaku, Nagoya Grampus host Tokai rivals Shimizu S-Pulse at Toyota Stadium and Omiya Ardija entertain local rivals FC Tokyo at Omiya Park.

Defending champions Kashiwa Reysol start their campaign at home to Yokohama F. Marinos on Sunday, with a capacity crowd expected to descend upon Hitachi Stadium for the clash.


Round 1 fixtures

March 10

Consadole Sapporo vs Jubilo Iwata (Sapporo Dome)
Vegalta Sendai vs Kashima Antlers (Yurtec Stadium)
Nagoya Grampus vs Shimizu S-Pulse (Toyota Stadium)
Gamba Osaka vs Vissel Kobe (Expo '70 Stadium)
Sanfrecce Hiroshima vs Urawa Reds (Big Arch Stadium)
Sagan Tosu vs Cerezo Osaka (Best Amenity Stadium)
Kawasaki Frontale vs Albirex Niigata (Todoroki Stadium)
Omiya Ardija vs FC Tokyo (Omiya Park)

March 11

Kashiwa Reysol vs Yokohama F. Marinos


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FC Tokyo aiming to step on the gas

What does a club do when it has just won the second division at a canter and has been crowned national Cup champions for the first time in its history? Sign a new coach, if that club is FC Tokyo.

The capital outfit celebrated beating Kyoto Sanga 4-2 in the Emperor's Cup final on New Year's Day by officially announcing Serb tactician Ranko Popovic as its new coach barely a day later. Popovic takes over after leading third-tier neighbours Machida Zelvia into J2, with former FC Tokyo Kiyoshi Okuma coach moving back to an administrative role within the club.

Popovic has some experience at this level. He arrived in Japan as an assistant to compatriot Mihailo Petrovic at Sanfrecce Hiroshima in 2006, before taking over the doomed Oita Trinita after their relegation from J1 had been all but confirmed in 2009. When the Kyushu side couldn't afford to retain his services, Popovic moved to western Tokyo to take charge of the upwardly Machida Zelvia.

Now he's has made the short hop over to Chofu to take on an FC Tokyo squad rippling with talent. Japan international and fan-favourite Yasuyuki Konno may have moved to Gamba Osaka, but 'the Gasmen' still have plenty of strikepower on their books. Goalkeeper Shuichi Gonda, winger Naohiro Ishikawa and towering striker Sota Hirayama are often on the fringes of national team selection, while the gritty Masato Morishige, veteran striker Lucas Severino and youngster Takuji Yonemoto - who is looking to re-establish himself after a couple of injury-riddled campaigns - would force their way into most top-flight squads.

Equally impressive is the fact the Gasmen have strengthened their squad with a couple of impressive signings. Bustling striker Kazuma Watanabe and Iranian-Japanese midfielder Aria Jasuru Hasegawa have both joined from nearby Yokohama F. Marinos after struggling to make an impact at the Tricolore last season. Both offer versatility and will increase the battle for squad places, as does youngster Hiroki Kawano, who joins from stadium co-tenants Tokyo Verdy. Add to that the fact Yohei Otake and Kentaro Shigematsu both enjoyed top-flight football on loan last season and the capital club should prove a formidable force on their return to the top flight.

But while FC Tokyo are looking to build on the performances of Sanfrecce Hiroshima, Cerezo Osaka and Kashiwa Reysol before them - who all qualified for the AFC Champions League just a season after promotion, the latter as J1 champions - the Gasmen already have Champions League football to contend with. They've been drawn in Group F of the Champions League alongside A-League champions Brisbane Roar, South Korean side Ulsan Hyundai and Chinese powerhouses Beijing Guoan, courtesy of winning the Emperor's Cup. And with the Champions League group stage once again jammed up against a packed J. League fixture list, rumours have already surfaced Popovic will field a second-string line-up for continental fixtures and play his first team in the league.

Whatever happens over the early rounds of the 2012 J. League season, the phrase "too good to go down" will reappear any time FC Tokyo take to the pitch. The club from the western outskirts of Tokyo city may only have a League Cup and now an Emperor's Cup trophy to show for their efforts, but they remain one of the more popular and better resourced outfits in the division. Yet such sentiment hasn't spared them before. They went down in 2010 despite being tipped as one of the favourites to win J1, and they'll hope history doesn't repeat itself when top-flight football makes a welcome return to Ajinomoto Stadium in March.

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Three-way race for the J. League title

And then there were three. Two familiar contenders, one plucky outsider and four league games are all that stand between Kashiwa Reysol, Gamba Osaka, Nagoya Grampus and the J. League title.

Autumn is especially beautiful across the Kantō Plain, when the deciduous leaves fall and a mellow sunlight light frames the back streets and alleys of one of the world's most populous regions. That's true even in the gritty industrial Chiba town of Kashiwa, where the locals are hoping their promoted upstarts can win back to back championships.

Kashiwa Reysol coasted through J2 last season, holding off the challenge of Ventforet Kofu to win the second division by ten points. At the helm was grizzled Brazilian coach Nelsinho, whose association with Japanese football is so lengthy his first club Verdy was still based in Kawasaki. The much-travelled tactician won the J. League with Verdy and later took over at the club formerly known as Nagoya Grampus Eight, before embarking on a peripatetic waltz around his native Brazil.

He's back in the J. League now and Nelsinho's knowledge of Brazilian has proved especially useful in the realm of player recruitment. In 2010 he signed Leandro Domingues from Bahia club Vitoria and watched contentedly as the playmaker steered the Sun Kings to the second tier title. This year he drafted in veteran Jorge Wagner from Sao Paulo and the versatile attacking talent has produced a stellar campaign. Add to that the goals of strikers Junya Tanaka and Hideaki Kitajima and it's no surprise Kashiwa's sheer attacking strength has propelled them to the top of the table.

Standing in Kashiwa's way are defending champions Nagoya Grampus. The Aichi side broke their long trophy drought by winning the J. League for the first time last season, employing the not-so-novel tactic of simply signing the best players from rival teams. Former Urawa Reds talisman Marcus Tulio Tanaka and ex-Yokohama F. Marinos defender Hayuma Tanaka were joined this season by one-time Shimizu S-Pulse star Jungo Fujimoto and ex-Vissel Kobe speedster Kensuke Nagai - widely regarded as one of the most promising talents in Asian football. It's a tried-and-true tactic and combined with Australian international Josh Kennedy's unquenchable thirst for goals, Nagoya have slowly muscled their way up the standings and are currently breathing down Kashiwa's neck in the race for the championship.

Sandwiched between the pair are Gamba Osaka, who have endured a strange campaign at their Suita city home. The Osakans started slowly and sold prolific striker Adriano to Qatari club Al-Jaish, after he'd scored nine goals in just eight league games. They looked like they'd struggle without him, until the arrival of Rafinha from J2 side Thespa Kusatsu. The Brazilian has made his compatriot look positively sluggish, blasting home 10 goals in 14 league games - including a hat-trick against Kawasaki Frontale - and just as importantly laying on several more for strike partner Lee Keun-Ho, who has suddenly transformed into one of the most dynamic strikers in the league. With Yasuhito Endo pulling the strings in midfield and plenty of big-match experience behind them, it's unlikely Gamba will be the first to blink in a tense three-team tussle for the title.

Nagoya arguably have the easiest run home, while all three teams face tough looking away trips on the final day of the campaign. Grampus are on the road to Big Swan Stadium where they will face Albirex Niigata, while Gamba Osaka face a daunting trip to the parochial Nihondaira Stadium to take on mid-table outfit Shimizu S-Pulse. It's Kashiwa who look set to face the toughest trip of all, as they cross the Kantō Plain to take on a Urawa Reds side battling relegation.

Urawa's wretched campaign is perhaps best summed up by the fact they sacked coach Zeljko Petrovic just a fortnight out from a League Cup final. The final straw was a 1-0 home defeat to Saitama city rivals Omiya Ardija, which prompted Petrovic to claim he'd resign at the end of the season. He wasn't given the chance, and former youth team coach Takafumi Hori is the man charged with the task of ensuring one of Japan's most popular clubs avoids relegation for the second time in their checkered history.

Urawa are locked in a dogged battle with Ventforet Kofu to avoid the final relegation place - Montedio Yamagata and Avispa Fukuoka are already doomed - and Kofu's lanky Japan international Mike Havenaar is on a single-handed mission to prolong Kofu's stay in the top flight. The man known as "Mike" has scored 16 of Kofu's 36 goals so far and with European clubs rumoured to be taking an interest in the 194-centimetre giant, a player who recently scored his first international goals for Japan could be set for a barnstorming finish to the campaign.

There's little doubt another thrilling finale lies in store for one of the world's most entertaining leagues. Will Kashiwa Reysol hold their nerve and become the first team to win back to back J2 and J1 championships? Will Gamba Osaka spoil the party and destroy the dreams of Nagoya Grampus in the process? And can Urawa Reds shake off Ventforet Kofu in the quest to maintain their top-flight status? Time will tell, but as the first of the winter chills rustles the falling leaves on Japan's busy thoroughfares and streets, the J. League is only just starting to heat up.

Copyright © Mike Tuckerman & Soccerphile.com

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Japan's never-ending Nabisco Cup nonsense

The sight of Gamba Osaka running out at Expo '70 Stadium tonight is unlikely to fill their fans with hope. It's more likely to fill those in attendance with a sense of trepidation as the team currently leading the J. League standings does battle with defending Nabisco Cup champions Jubilo Iwata for a trophy no one genuinely wants to win.

Last weekend, Gamba celebrated twenty years at their Banpaku home with a well deserved 1-0 win over bitter rivals Urawa Reds which kept them top of the league. Tonight, however, Gamba run out at their crumbling home ground to take part in one of the most chaotically organised League Cup competitions in recent history.

March's devastating Tōhoku earthquake not only saw the J. League put on hold, it also prompted the complete reorganisation of the League Cup - known to all and sundry as the Nabisco Cup after its biscuit-producing sponsor. Two rounds of hastily arranged home-and-away fixtures were organised but as in previous seasons, Japan's four AFC Champions League representatives parachuted in at the quarter-final stage.

That means Gamba Osaka, their crosstown rivals Cerezo, defending league champions Nagoya Grampus and 2010 Emperor's Cup champions Kashima Antlers now run out for the first time this season in a competition supposed to represent the best knock-out football Japan has to offer. That is palpably not the case - the JFA-administered Emperor's Cup is a far superior tournament - but so redundant is this year's League Cup, the J. League must finally address the issue.

The first step is to permanently do away with the pointless group stage in favour of a straight knock-out format. The second is to reintroduce J2 teams, giving fans the opportunity to see new teams in action and encouraging both underdogs and favourites to treat the competition seriously. The third step is for the J. League to otherwise accept that some teams may not field full-strength starting elevens, instead offering a run-out to fringe first-team members. If that encourages opponents to go for the jugular against more illustrious rivals, so much the better.

As it stands, the current format offers little prestige to those who lift the trophy. Oita Trinita won it in 2008 and were relegated from the top flight a year later. FC Tokyo ultimately suffered the same fate. Meanwhile, Jubilo came within two minutes of losing last year's final only to beat Sanfrecce Hiroshima 5-3 in extra-time. Jubilo's reward was a trophy and a cash prize, but there was no place in the AFC Champions League for Masaaki Yanagishita's men and the Shizuoka outfit ended up finishing eleventh in the league.

Jubilo's win was a welcome one for the recently success-starved club, but it also highlighted the fact most teams only care about the Nabisco Cup once they've reached the final. That's the same case in most countries, but it seems a mediocrity the J. League is willing to endure. They should do so no longer, because tonight's League Cup clashes will inspire enthusiasm from only the most die-hard of supporters, with most neutrals concentrating on the fact Japan are in action later in the week.

And should Gamba or fellow title chasers Nagoya Grampus and Yokohama F. Marinos lose key personnel to injuries tonight, the clamour for a total overhaul of Japan's never-ending Nabisco Cup nonsense will grow louder still.

Nabisco Cup quarter-final schedule:

Wednesday, October 5 (all 7pm kick-offs)

Kashima Antlers vs Yokohama F. Marinos (Kashima Stadium)

Nagoya Grampus vs Albirex Niigata (Mizuho Stadium)

Gamba Osaka vs Jubilo Iwata (Expo '70 Stadium)

Cerezo Osaka vs Urawa Reds (Nagai Stadium)

Copyright © Mike Tuckerman & Soccerphile.com

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Yokohama F. Marinos lead the way in the J. League

Umbrella sellers are no doubt doing a brisk trade in Yokohama as Kanagawa giants Yokohama F. Marinos lead the way in the J. League standings.

F. Marinos fans are known for their colourful support and it's a common sight to see the Tricolore run out against a backdrop of twirling umbrellas at their cavernous Nissan Stadium home.

The port city giants beat regional rivals Omiya Ardija 2-1 at home last weekend to maintain a two-point lead over Chiba side Kashiwa Reysol, who were held to a scoreless draw away at Vegalta Sendai.

Reysol's clash with Vegalta was their second in the space of four days at Yurtec Stadium, after the two sides met in the League Cup in midweek, with Vegalta prevailing 3-1 on aggregate.

Defending champions Nagoya Grampus are looming as an obvious threat in the league, and they've moved into third place in the table after brushing aside bottom club Avispa Fukuoka 3-0 at Hakatanomori on Sunday.

In other Sunday action, more than 28,000 fans turned out for Cerezo Osaka midfielder Takashi Inui's farewell match against Kashima Antlers at Nagai Stadium, but the home fans left disappointed as Kashima came away with a comprehensive 3-1 win.

Avispa Fukuoka are doomed and the future doesn't look much brighter for Montedio Yamagata, while Ventforet Kofu are still four points off safety despite the recent high-profile summer signings of Kim Jin-Kyu and Davi.

In J2, Tokushima Vortis are the surprise league leaders and they hammered Kataller Toyama 3-1 in their most recent clash at Pocarisweat Stadium. FC Tokyo slumped to a shock 1-0 defeat away at Giravanz Kitakyushu, while fellow big guns JEF United were held to a 1-1 draw by Yokohama FC in front of more than 13,000 fans at Fukuda Denshi Arena in Chiba.

Relegated Kansai side Kyoto Sanga have endured a nightmare season in the second tier, with the club from Japan's former imperial capital lying a dismal 17th place in the standings in the 20-team division.

Copyright © Mike Tuckerman & Soccerphile.com

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Urawa Reds in trouble as J. League nears halfway point

The nightmare continues for Saitama giants Urawa Reds after they were held to a scoreless draw away at fellow strugglers Montedio Yamagata overnight.

The Reds have recorded three straight draws since beating bottom club Avispa Fukuoka in June, leaving coach Zeljko Petrovic's side languishing in fifteenth.

It's a far cry from the halcyon days when Urawa regularly challenged for the title and to make matters worse, Petrovic has seen veteran Brazilian striker Edmilson depart for Qatari club Al-Gharafa. The Reds have signed towering Serb striker Ranko Despotovic as his replacement, but the Serbian international will need to make an immediate impact if Urawa are to haul themselves clear of the relegation zone.

The J. League table as of July 7 sees promoted Chiba side Kashiwa Reysol lead the way from Yokohama F. Marinos and surprise package Vegalta Sendai at the top of the standings. Perennial title challengers Gamba Osaka and Kashima Antlers sit back in the pack having played two games less than many of their opponents, while hapless trio Ventforet Kofu, Montedio Yamagata and Avispa Fukuoka are overwhelming favourites to go down to J2.

Highlight weekend fixtures include Vegalta Sendai travelling to a sold-out Hitachi Stadium to take on Kashiwa Reysol, Ventforet Kofu hosting regional rivals Shimizu S-Pulse and high-flying Sanfrecce Hiroshima welcoming Cerezo Osaka to Big Arch Stadium.

Copyright © Mike Tuckerman & Soccerphile.com

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Urawa Reds the big losers in Golden Week gala

It's tough being Urawa Reds. The "biggest club in Asia" tag is a difficult one to live down, even if the Saitama giants haven't come close to winning a trophy for years.

The Reds burst onto the Asian football scene by winning the J. League under the swashbuckling auspices of German coach Guido Buchwald in 2006, before his more circumspect successor Holger Osieck steered the Saitama giants to Asian Champions League glory the following year.

But no sooner had Urawa begun to dominate the J. League than their world fell apart, as the popular Saitama side spectacularly disintegrated in the 2007 title race, prompting the dismissal of coach Osieck just two games into the 2008 season. Two more German coaches followed, but neither Gert Engels nor Volker Finke could steer Urawa to the silverware they so desperately craved.

Enter Zeljko Petrovic. The Montenegrin coach enjoyed a peripatetic playing career, turning out for the likes of Dinamo Zagreb, Sevilla and PSV Eindhoven in a 16-year career spent largely in the Netherlands. Petrovic ended his playing days at small Dutch outfit RKC Waalwijk - the club he coached in the Dutch second division in 2007-08 - but crucially he also enjoyed a three-year spell in Japan with Urawa Reds.

Petrovic's time in Japan coincided with Urawa's relegation to the second tier of the J. League and the charismatic coach knows all about the Reds' storied history. Urawa packed out every game of their compact Komaba Stadium home in the second division and crowds have continued to grow since their move to the futuristic Saitama Stadium.


Indeed, a crowd of 42,767 fans turned out at Saitama Stadium on April 24 to see Urawa hammer defending champions Nagoya Grampus 3-0, in a match in which playmaker Yosuke Kashiwagi and diminutive forward Genki Haraguchi tore the Nagoya defence apart. Fast forward to May 7, however, and the Reds are under pressure following two straight Golden Week defeats.

A emotional 1-0 loss to locals Vegalta in the earthquake-shattered surrounds of Sendai gave way to a similarly disappointing 2-0 defeat to regional rivals Yokohama F. Marinos, when 47,056 mostly home fans left less than impressed by Urawa's shoddy defending and inability to convert chances.

Another big crowd is expected to descend upon the National Stadium in Tokyo today, where Chiba side Kashiwa Reysol host the Reds in a late-afternoon blockbuster. The promoted Sun Kings set the early pace this season, winning their first three games before crashing back to earth with an unlucky 2-1 defeat to Montedio in the rugged wilds of Yamagata.


The vast horde of Reds fans who travel home and away to support their team means Kashiwa are unwilling to host this game at their compact Hitachi Stadium, so home advantage is lost as Reysol prepare to welcome the Reds to the neutral confines of Kokuritsu. The venue has hosted some thrilling clashes between these two sides over the years, most notably on the same weekend two seasons ago, when Sergio Escudero crashed home the unlikeliest of winners to propel Urawa to a stunning 3-2 come-from-behind victory in driving rain.

A calm Petrovic has shrugged off the back-to-back defeats to Vegalta and F. Marinos, saying his side are still confident despite the Golden Week setback.

"Currently, our players' spirits are high and very strong," he told the club's website. "Their physical conditions are also well. For this reason, all we have to do now is to believe in our play style and just fight."

Fighting is a given, but it's results that count in the business of winning trophies. Another defeat here could spell trouble for new man Petrovic, as he walks the tightrope between staying confident and avoiding catastrophe at one of Asian football's most recognisable clubs.

Copyright © Mike Tuckerman & Soccerphile.com

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J. League picks up the pieces after quake

Five weeks after a devastating earthquake and subsequent tsunami caused widespread destruction in Japan's northern Miyagi Prefecture, the J. League finally resumes with five Round 7 games taking place on April 23.

Foremost among them is the clash between Kawasaki Frontale and Vegalta Sendai, with Sendai the city closest to the epicentre of the earth-shattering quake which struck on March 11.

Sunday's big clash sees Urawa Reds host defending champions Nagoya Grampus, with all matches taking place in the afternoon as the J. League does its part to conserve energy.

Rounds 2 to 6 will be completed at a later date.

Round 7 fixtures:

April 23

Kashima Antlers vs Yokohama F. Marinos (National Stadium)
Omiya Ardija vs Kashiwa Reysol (Nack5 Stadium)
Kawasaki Frontale vs Vegalta Sendai (Todoroki Stadium)
Ventforet Kofu vs Vissel Kobe (Yamanashibank Stadium)
Shimizu S-Pulse vs Avispa Fukuoka (Outsourcing Nihondaira Stadium)

April 24

Montedio Yamagata vs Cerezo Osaka (ND Soft Stadium)
Albirex Niigata vs Jubilo Iwata (Tohoku Den Stadium)
Sanfrecce Hiroshima vs Gamba Osaka (Hiroshima Big Arch)
Urawa Reds vs Nagoya Grampus (Saitama Stadium)

Copyright © Mike Tuckerman & Soccerphile.com

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All J. League games off as earthquake shatters Japan

The 8.8 magnitude earthquake and subsequent tsunami which tore through north-eastern Japan have forced the postponement of all J. League games this weekend.

The J. League announced this morning that no games would take place in J1 or J2 over the weekend, with early reports suggesting some grounds may have suffered structural damage.

Vegalta Sendai were due to host defending champions Nagoya Grampus at Yurtec Sendai Stadium on Saturday, but with the stadium just over 10 kilometres from the coastline, it's unclear whether the 20,000-capacity venue has suffered damage.

Unverified reports suggest Kashima Stadium has also been rattled by the quake, while JEF United's Fukuda Denshi Arena is not far from an oil factory currently ablaze in the aftermath of the devastating quake.

It's not known when football will resume following the deadly temblor, which was one of the strongest earthquakes in recorded history.

Copyright © Mike Tuckerman & Soccerphile.com

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J League Results March 6 2011

Saturday 5 March

Last season's champions Nagoya Grampus kicked off the new J. League season with a 1-1 draw against Yokohama F Marinos in front of 27,153 spectators at Toyota Stadium. Gamba Osaka won the Osaka derby 2-1 against last season's surprise package Cerezo, while Kashima Antlers were held to a surprise home draw.

J. League Results

Nagoya Grampus 1 Yokohama F Marinos 1
Gamba Osaka 2 Cerezo Osaka 1
Ventforet Kofu 0 Jubilo Iwata 1
Sanfrecce Hiroshima 0 Vegalta Sendai 0
Avispa Fukuoka 0 Albirex Niigata 3
Kawasaki Frontale 2 Montedio Yamagata 0
Kashiwa Reysol 3 Shimizu S-Pulse 0

Sun 6 March 2011

Vissel Kobe 1 Urawa Reds 0
Kashima Antlers 3 Omiya Ardija 3


The highest attendance was 27,153 at Toyota Stadium for the Grampus v Marinos match.


Last Season's Leading Scorers

Josh Kennedy, Nagoya Grampus 16
Edmilson, Urawa Reds 15
Shoki Hirai, Gamba Osaka 14
Ryoichi Maeda, Jubilo 14

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Ready for kick-off in the 2011 J. League

The 2011 J. League kicks off on March 5, and it looks set to be another bumper season.

A handful of marquee match-ups dominate the opening day, including the Osaka derby between Gamba and Cerezo and a regional showdown between promoted Ventforet Kofu and Jubilo Iwata.

Defending champions Nagoya Grampus kick off their campaign with a tricky home fixture against Yokohama F. Marinos at Toyota Stadium, while promoted Kashiwa Reysol host Shimizu S-Pulse in a Saturday night slugfest that has been sold out for weeks.

Sunday's games see Vissel Kobe take on Urawa Reds just months after Vissel salvaged their top flight status with an astonishing 4-0 final-day victory over the Reds, while heavyweights Kashima Antlers welcome Omiya Ardija to Kashima Stadium.

Round 1 fixtures:

March 5

Ventforet Kofu vs Jubilo Iwata (Yamanashibank Stadium)

Nagoya Grampus vs Yokohama F. Marinos (Toyota Stadium)

Gamba Osaka vs Cerezo Osaka (Expo '70 Stadium)

Sanfrecce Hiroshima vs Vegalta Sendai (Big Arch Stadium)

Avispa Fukuoka vs Albirex Niigata (Level-5 Stadium)

Kawasaki Frontale vs Montedio Yamagata (Todoroki Stadium)

Kashiwa Reysol vs Shimizu S-Pulse (Kashiwa Hitachi Stadium)

March 6

Vissel Kobe vs Urawa Reds (HOME'S Stadium)

Kashima Antlers vs Omiya Ardija (Kashima Stadium)

Copyright © Mike Tuckerman & Soccerphile.com

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Agony for FC Tokyo, ecstasy for Vissel Kobe

What has numerous stadia, 35 million people and two struggling football teams?

You're wrong if you answered Qatar - it barely has any of those - but closer to the mark if you answered Tokyo; that megalopolis of neon lights, dense alleyways and comic kitsch so often associated with the less serious side of Japan.

In the same week Japan's bid to host the 2022 World Cup ground to a predictable halt, so too did top flight football in the capital, courtesy of a pair of extraordinary results on the final day of the 2010 J. League season.

Going into their last league game of the season away at Kyoto Sanga, FC Tokyo held a one-point advantage over sixteenth placed Vissel Kobe. That meant the capital club needed to win to guarantee themselves a place in J1 next season, or hope Vissel Kobe lost to Urawa Reds.

As fate would have it, neither occurred, with FC Tokyo surrendering meekly to Kyoto in a 2-0 defeat on the road, while Vissel Kobe thumped a lifeless Urawa Reds 4-0 in front of a stunned crowd at Saitama Stadium.

That means both of Tokyo's professional clubs will languish in J2 next season, with FC Tokyo joining Ajinomoto Stadium co-tenants Tokyo Verdy in the second tier of the Japanese game.

FC Tokyo's fall from grace is a surprising one given that some critics tipped them as dark horses for the title this season. In coach Hiroshi Jofuku, they had an attacking tactician not afraid to hand youth a chance, while names like Yasuyuki Konno, Naohiro Ishikawa and the mercurial Sota Hirayama suggested the capital club should have had enough talent to finish in the top half of the table.

But fresh from winning the 2009 League Cup title, FC Tokyo simply never got started in the 2010 league campaign, and with the club struggling in the lower reaches for most of the season, Jofuku was dismissed to make way for Kiyoshi Okuma to steady the ship.

Okuma was in charge when FC Tokyo made its top flight debut in 2000, but the former player failed to steer the Chofu-based outfit to safety, leaving one of Japan's best supported clubs to scrap it out in the second division next season.

FC Tokyo's despair is in stark contrast to Vissel Kobe's joy, as the Kansai side went on a seven-game unbeaten run to salvage their J1 status at the death. Vissel also sacked coach Toshiya Miura late in the campaign, but his replacement Masahiro Wada came up trumps to steer the much-maligned outfit to safety.

Vissel's regional rivals Nagoya Grampus had already wrapped up the title weeks ago, and with Gamba Osaka and Cerezo Osaka edging out Kashima Antlers for the remaining two AFC Champions League places, the balance of power could be shifting west in Japanese football.

The Kanto plain has long been a J. League stronghold, but with Kashima failing to win a fourth straight title and the likes of Kawasaki Frontale, Yokohama F. Marinos and Urawa Reds struggling to make much of an impact, it's the traditionally baseball-mad western region currently celebrating football success.

Kashiwa Reysol coast to J2 title

It's not all bad news for Kanto football fans after Kashiwa Reysol coasted to the J2 title, finishing ten points ahead of second placed Ventforet Kofu.

The pair will be joined in the top flight next season by Kyushu side Avispa Fukuoka, who ended a three-year spell in the second tier by comfortably securing a promotion place.

'King Kazu' strikes again

He's almost old enough for a walking stick, but in a land that venerates experience, Kazu Miura shows no signs of slowing down. The ageing veteran broke his own J2 goalscoring record on the final day of the season, scoring for Yokohama FC in a 2-2 draw away at Oita Trinita.

Copyright © Mike Tuckerman & Soccerphile.com

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Eddy Bosnar will always be 'Big in Japan'

It’s a long way from Fairfield to Mount Fuji, but Eddy Bosnar is not your average footballer.

After spells in Croatia, Austria, England and Holland, the tall Australian defender has finally made a home for himself at one of Japan’s most popular clubs, Shimizu S-Pulse.

A cult hero on the terraces at Shimizu’s compact Outsourcing Nihondaira Stadium, Bosnar has worked hard to win over fans since his switch from Chiba-based J. League rivals JEF United.

“My form has been OK as I worked very hard in the pre-season and also while I was back in Australia for my Christmas holidays,” the defender told Soccerphile. “The system we play at S-Pulse has also helped as it is easy to adapt to and the players are of great quality.”

By no means a certain starter when he arrived in Shimizu, Bosnar had to fight with three other central defenders for a place in coach Kenta Hasegawa’s starting eleven.

But his all-action style and passionate displays have won over fans, and his cause has been helped by a couple of spectacular long-range goals – including a 40 metre free-kick against Kyoto Sanga.

“I stay back at training on Wednesdays, Thursdays and maybe even Fridays to get the distance and power right for the weekend,” Bosnar said of a powerful free-kick technique which leaves opposition defenders begging for mercy.

It’s clear the much-travelled defender has a strong work ethic, but life in Japan hasn’t always been easy for a player who started out at the Australian Institute of Sport.

Lured to the Land Of The Rising Sun by his former Dinamo Zagreb coach Josip Kuze, Bosnar saw the Croatian tactician sacked just four months into his reign at JEF United.

New coach Alex Miller was a fan of the aggressive defender, but the Glaswegian was unable to halt JEF’s slide into the second tier, and when the Chiba outfit were finally relegated in 2009, Bosnar jumped shipped to one of their biggest rivals.

Standing in the shadows of the towering Mount Fuji, Shimizu’s atmospheric home ground is bursting to its 20,000 capacity on matchdays as fans clamour to see their side battle with the likes of Kashima Antlers and Urawa Reds.

“The fans at S-Pulse are fantastic, home games are great and really enjoyable for everyone. Bosnar said. “I have had family and friends visit and they think it is electrifying.”

Shimizu are one of just five clubs to have played every season in the top flight, but so far a first ever J. League title has eluded them.

The club will forever be linked to one of the most dramatic moments in J. League history, losing the 1999 championship playoff on penalties to local rivals Jubilo Iwata and prompting English coach Steve Perryman to break down in tears on the bench.

Shimizu are hoping to avoid similar heartache this time around, but even if the popular side miss out on the title, they still have qualification for the AFC Champions League to fight for – a competition Bosnar believes is increasing in relevance.

“I think that the Asian Champions League is the best thing that could happen to football in Asia,” he said.

“The biggest problem is that most clubs and fans support the domestic league more so sometimes you get half full stadiums. Although it is getting more significant to the football followers in Asia.”

Winning plaudits, scoring goals and doing so in front of an adoring public; given his personal success in Japan, would Bosnar recommend the J. League to fellow Australian players?

“Firstly, Japan is a great place to live so every player would enjoy being here. Also, the league is of high quality, the players are true professionals and the facilities are fantastic,” he said.

“All you have to do is train and play well week in, week out and you could make a great career over here. If any players regardless of age get a chance to play in Japan they should accept the offer, that’s my tip.”

His name regularly rings out and the Australian flag flies high on the terraces of Outsourcing Nihondaira Stadium, but if Bosnar can help Shimizu S-Pulse land the J. League title they so desperately crave, club officials could be tempted to erect a statue of the lanky defender in the main street of town.

After all, he may be a giant in the Shimizu back four, but it's not every day an Australian footballer gets 'Big in Japan.'

Copyright © Mike Tuckerman & Soccerphile.com

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Nagoya Grampus hoping to make history

When infielder Masahiko Morino popped up a sacrifice fly to edge Chunichi Dragons past Yokohama Baystars and into first place in Nippon Professional Baseball's Central League overnight, he ensured Nagoya's two major sporting teams currently top their respective leagues.

The Dragons last won the Japan Series in 2007, in a year in which their footballing counterparts struggled to make an impact - ultimately limping into a miserable eleventh-placed finish in the J. League.

Much has changed since then, with Nagoya Grampus dropping the "Eight" from their name and appointing legendary former midfielder Dragan Stojkovic as coach in January 2008. His team has been on an upward trajectory ever since, and Nagoya residents are now dreaming of an unlikely double for their baseball and football stars.

The J. League resumes this weekend with Grampus facing an uncomfortable trip north to the rugged, rural hills of Yamagata, and Stojkovic will be desperate to see his side add to the 14 victories they've claimed from 21 league games played so far.

But despite their lofty position in the table, it's difficult to envisage Nagoya Grampus as the best team in Japan. They may have won 14 times already, but they've lost virtually every marquee fixture they've played.

A 3-2 home defeat to Kawasaki Frontale was replicated by a 2-1 defeat on the road at Urawa Reds, and when Nagoya hosted defending champions Kashima Antlers, the Ibaraki side crushed Stojkovic's men 4-1. A subsequent trip to Todoroki Stadium saw Kawasaki swat them aside in a humiliating 4-0 loss, and Nagoya thrice gave up the lead in a pulsating 3-3 draw with Tokai rivals Shimizu S-Pulse.

Worse yet for Nagoya fans, they still have big guns Shimizu S-Pulse and Kashima Antlers to face again, while surprise package Cerezo Osaka are currently lying second and itching to avenge a 1-0 defeat to Nagoya earlier the season, when the two sides meet at Toyota Stadium on October 30.

Should Nagoya slip up, Cerezo are currently the best-placed side to take advantage, however provincial heavyweights Shimizu S-Pulse are level on points with Cerezo and just five points behind the league-leading Grampus.

Like fellow title chasers Nagoya and Cerezo, Shimizu have never won the J. League title, and coach Kenta Hasegawa is desperate to collect some silverware on the back of a fruitless five-year stint in charge.

Kashima Antlers and Kawasaki Frontale are lurking just behind the trophy-hungry S-Pulse, but after three years of utter Kashima dominance, J. League fans could be forgiven for hoping to see a different name on the trophy this season.

At the other end of the table, yo-yo club Kyoto Sanga and the hapless Shonan Bellmare look doomed, but the fight to avoid the third relegation place could boil down to a four-way tussle.

Omiya Ardija, Vissel Kobe, Vegalta Sendai and incredibly FC Tokyo are all locked on 21 points going into the resumption of league football, with none of the four showing signs that they're capable of skipping clear of the bottom three any time soon.

Kashiwa Reysol are streaking away with the J2 title, but the battle for the remaining promotion places could be a three-horse race between Ventforet Kofu, JEF United and Avispa Fukuoka in the J. League's second tier.

League Cup

An all-Shizuoka League Cup final remains a possibility after Shimizu S-Pulse and Jubilo Iwata both scraped through to the semi-finals of this year's competition.

Shimizu edged past defending champions FC Tokyo on the away goals rule after the pair drew 1-1 in Tokyo, before playing out a scoreless draw at Nihondaira Stadium.

Jubilo Iwata knocked out Vegalta Sendai, while Kawasaki Frontale impressively dispatched Kashima Antlers and Sanfrecce Hiroshima knocked out Gamba Osaka, with Japan's four AFC Champions League representatives parachuting into the tournament at the quarter-final stage.

The first leg of the semi-finals will be held on September 29, with Jubilo Iwata hosting Kawasaki Frontale and Sanfrecce Hiroshima welcoming Shimizu S-Pulse to Big Arch Stadium.

Emperor's Cup

There's always one every season, and this year it was the turn of Vegalta Sendai to suffer the embarrassment of going out to a lower-tier side in the second round of the Emperor's Cup.

To make matters worse for Vegalta coach Makoto Teguramori, it was city rivals Sony Sendai who knocked his team out, with the Japan Football League side triumphing in extra-time over a Vegalta outfit who reached the semi-finals last season.

Elsewhere, the only other major casualty was embattled J2 side Tokyo Verdy, who went out at the hands of neighbours Machida Zelvia.

The third round kicks off on October 9, with Sony Sendai hosting Cerezo Osaka, while JFL side Machida Zelvia face a daunting trip to Big Swan Stadium to take on Albirex Niigata.

Copyright © Mike Tuckerman & Soccerphile.com

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J. League Results August 1

Saturday 31 July

Urawa Reds 0 Omiya Ardija 1
Kashima Antlers 3 Vissel Kobe 0
Yokohama F Marinos 0 Nagoya Grampus 2
Albirex Niigata 2 FC Tokyo 1
Jubilo Iwata 0 Cerezo Osaka 3

Sunday 1 August


Gamba Osaka 1 Montedio Yamagata 0
Sanfrecce Hiroshima 3 Kyoto Sanga 0
Kawasaki Frontale 3 Vegalta Sendai 2
Shonan Bellmare 3 Shimizu S-Pulse 6

J.League Table

Kashima Antlers P 15 Pts 33
Shimizu S-Pulse P 15 Pts 26
Nagoya Grampus P 15 Pts 25
Kawasaki Frontale P 15 Pts 21
Cerezo Osaka P 15 Pts 20
Urawa Reds P 15 Pts 20

Leading Scorers

Josh Kennedy, Nagoya Grampus 9
Shoki Hirai, Gamba Osaka 8
Edmilson, Urawa Reds 7
Renatinho, Kawasaki Frontale 7
Kazuma Watanabe, Yokohama F Marinos 7
Ryoichi Maeda, Jubilo Iwata 7
Shinji Kagawa, Cerezo Osaka 7


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J. League Results July 25

Sunday 25 July

Kawasaki Frontale 1 Kyoto Sanga 0
Shonan Bellmare 1 FC Tokyo 3
Vissel Kobe 3 Omiya Ardija 1

Saturday 24 July

Urawa Reds 0 Sanfrecce Hiroshima 1
Jubilo Iwata 2 Kashima Antlers 3
Cerezo Osaka 3 Montedio Yamagata 0
Vegalta Sendai 2 Albirex Niigata 3
Yokohama F Marinos 1 Gamba Osaka 0
Nagoya Grampus 3 Shimizu S-Pulse 3

J.League Table

Kashima Antlers P 14 Pts 30
Shimizu S-Pulse P 14 Pts 27
Nagoya Grampus P 14 Pts 26
Kawasaki Frontale P 14 Pts 24
Cerezo Osaka P 14 Pts 23
Hiroshima P 14 Pts 22

Leading Scorers

Josh Kennedy, Nagoya Grampus 9
Shoki Hirai, Gamba Osaka 8
Edmilson, Urawa Reds 7
Renatinho, Kawasaki Frontale 7
Kazuma Watanabe, Yokohama F Marinos 7
Ryoichi Maeda, Jubilo Iwata 7
Shinji Kagawa, Cerezo Osaka 7
Marcio Richardes, Albirex Niigata 7


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Nagoya vs Shimizu lives up to all the hype

Vegemite is a common sight on the shelves at Japanese speciality store Kaldi Coffee Farm, and there was another slice of Australia on display in downtown Nagoya overnight.

Socceroos striker Josh Kennedy ran out against another lanky Australian in the form of Eddy Bosnar, but their was little to separate their respective sides as Nagoya Grampus drew 3-3 with Shimizu S-Pulse at Mizuho Stadium.

The draw maintains the status quo in the J. League, with Shimizu remaining second and Nagoya third behind current league leaders Kashima Antlers.

Copyright © Mike Tuckerman & Soccerphile.com

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J. League Results July 18 2010

Sunday 18 July

Kyoto Sanga 0 Shonan Bellmare
1 Gamba Osaka 3 Urawa Reds 2
Sanfrecce Hiroshima 3 Yokohama F Marinos 0

Saturday 17 July

Omiya Ardija 0 Nagoya Grampus 1
FC Tokyo 2 Vissel Kobe 2
Shimizu S-Pulse 0 Jubilo Iwata 0
Montedio Yamagata 3 Vegalta Sendai 1
Kashima Antlers 2 Kawasaki Frontale 1
Albirex Niigata 1 Cerezo Osaka 1

J.League Table

Kashima Antlers P 13 Pts 27
Shimizu S-Pulse P 13 Pts 26
Nagoya Grampus P 13 Pts 25
Kawasaki Frontale P 13 Pts 21
Cerezo Osaka P 13 Pts 20
Urawa Reds P 13 Pts 20

Leading Scorers

Josh Kennedy, Nagoya Grampus 9
Shoki Hirai, Gamba Osaka 8
Edmilson, Urawa Reds 7
Renatinho, Kawasaki Frontale 7
Kazuma Watanabe, Yokohama F Marinos 7
Ryoichi Maeda, Jubilo Iwata 7
Shinji Kagawa, Cerezo Osaka 7


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