Shonan snatch second J2 promotion place

Shonan Bellmare have snatched the second and final automatic promotion place on offer on a dramatic final day of the regular season in the J. League's second tier.

Needing to beat neighbours Machida Zelvia and hope Kyoto Sanga failed to do the same against champions Ventforet Kofu, the Kanagawa side did their part with a 3-0 win in front of 7,139 fans at Machida Stadium. The result was bad news for Machida, who drop down to the third-tier Japan Football League after finishing bottom of the J2 table.

Meanwhile, Kyoto Sanga could only labour to a scoreless draw against Kofu in front of 12,296 fans at Nishikyogoku Stadium. The result means Kyoto will join Yokohama FC, JEF United and Oita Trinita in a four-team playoff, with the winner joining Kofu and Shonan in the top flight in 2013.

Sanfrecce Hiroshima currently top the standings in J1 with three games of the season still to play.

Copyright © Mike Tuckerman & Soccerphile.com

Tags

Japan Soccer Japanese football

Australia versus Japan is a battle for the ages

Japan has the highest proportion of elderly citizens of any country in the world. The irony is when the Samurai Blue takes to the pitch against Australia tonight, it’s the Socceroos who’ll attract all the attention for their age.

The Australian team which drew 0-0 in its opening fourth round World Cup qualifier against Oman had a combined average age of almost 32. Goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer, 39, was arguably the best player on the pitch, while captain Lucas Neill is 34. If fact, there’s barely a key player in the Socceroos squad currently under the age of 30.

Japan, on the other hand, is brimming with youthful exuberance. Their fresh-faced vitality is best personified by attacking talent Shinji Kagawa – the erstwhile Borussia Dortmund star soon to strut his stuff on the hallowed turf of Old Trafford. The soon-to-be Manchester United playmaker is widely considered one of Asia’s most talented players and the fleet-footed 23-year-old is no doubt licking his lips in anticipation at the prospect of taking on Australia’s ageing back four. 

Keisuke Honda is another with his best years ahead of him. The CSKA Moscow midfielder announced his arrival on the international scene with a barnstorming campaign at the 2010 World Cup and the 25-year-old has rapidly developed into a talisman for the national team. Together with the likes of teenage Arsenal striker Ryo Miyaichi, defenders Atsuto Uchida and Yuto Nagatomo and front men Shinji Okazaki and Mike Havenaar, there’s plenty of young talent available to keep Japanese stocks ticking over.

The same can’t be said for the Socceroos and it’s surely a concern for Football Federation Australia. Six years ago to the day, Australia recorded its most famous victory – a come-from-behind 3-1 win over Japan at the World Cup in Germany. The hero that day, Tim Cahill, is expected to be recalled to Australia’s starting side for tonight’s blockbuster in Brisbane. Australia’s squad is still heaving with veterans from the 2006 campaign. A highpoint in Australian football it may have been, but the win in Kaiserslautern is increasingly becoming the millstone around Socceroos coach Holger Osieck’s neck.

With few young players putting their hands up for selection, Osieck has been forced to rely on experience in what has been a largely conservative campaign to date. Eighteen months ago the likes of Tommy Oar and Matthew Leckie were expected to push their claims for regular international football but the pair have struggled for first-team football in Europe. Others like Nikita Rukavytsya and Dario Vidosic have seemingly wasted their chances at international level, leaving tried-and-true old stagers like Cahill, Harry Kewell and a recently recalled Mark Bresciano to carry the slack.

And that could be a problem for a Socceroos defence desperate to keep the Japanese strike force at bay. The Samurai Blue haven’t exactly been goal-shy in the fourth round of qualifying to date, hammering Oman 3-0 before thumping Jordan 6-0 in their two games in Saitama. They don’t always play well on the road, but there’s no reason for Alberto Zaccheroni’s side to approach their trip to Brisbane with anything but the utmost confidence.

So it is that Australia experiences the rare occurrence of going into a home game as underdogs. The role may have suited the Socceroos in the past but there’s a growing sense of unease over the lack of progress being made under Osieck’s watch. He’s gambled on an ageing squad to try and beat a rampant Japan in Brisbane, but victory will only mask a far bigger problem. The Socceroos may qualify for the World Cup in Brazil, but unless Osieck uncovers some talented youngsters to take with him, the squad will almost certainly be too old to seriously compete once they get there.

© Mike Tuckerman & Soccerphile

Euro 2012 football

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


Tags

Euro 2012 football

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.

Tags

Euro 2012 football

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

Tags

World Cup Pens
World Cup Posters
Euro 2012 football

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

Tags

World Cup Pens
World Cup Posters
Euro 2012 football

Japan stunned by the death of Naoki Matsuda

Former Japan international Naoki Matsuda has died. The 34-year-old collapsed during training with Japan Football League club Matsumoto Yamaga on August 2.

The tenacious defender played more than 360 top-flight games for Yokohama F. Marinos and was one of the most popular players of the J. League era. He joined third-tier side Matsumoto Yamaga after being released by F. Marinos at the end of last season.

Once a mainstay of the Japanese national team, Matsuda started all four of Japan's games on home soil at the 2002 World Cup.

He was rushed to hospital after suffering a cardiac arrest before afternoon training with his new club.

Doctors are yet to determine the cause of Matsuda's condition, although Japan has experienced heatwave conditions for much of the summer.

Copyright © Mike Tuckerman & Soccerphile.com

Tags

World Cup Pens
World Cup Posters
Euro 2012 football

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

Tags

World Cup Pens
World Cup Posters
Euro 2012 football

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

Tags

World Cup Pens
World Cup Posters
Euro 2012 football

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

J.League News


Tags

World Cup Pens
World Cup Posters
Euro 2012 football

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

J.League News

Tags

World Cup Pens
World Cup Posters
Euro 2012 football

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

Tags

World Cup Pens
World Cup Posters
Euro 2012 football

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

Tags

World Cup Pens
World Cup Posters
Euro 2012 football

Japan on track for fourth Asian Cup title

They've scrapped, they've scraped and they've even overcome a penalty shoot-out: it seems like nothing can stop Japan in their quest for a fourth Asian Cup title.

Japan conceded a soft equaliser just seconds away from an extra-time win over arch-rivals South Korea in their semi-final, only for goalkeeper Eiji Kawashima to stand tall as he saved the Taeguk Warriors' first two penalties in a one-sided shoot-out victory.

Now Australia are all that stands between Japan and a record fourth Asian Cup crown, although the Socceroos could prove a formidable opponent after thrashing Uzbekistan 6-0 en route to a Khalifa Stadium showdown.

That's especially the case now that Japan's quarter-final hero Shinji Kagawa has been ruled out through injury, with the Samurai Blue set to miss one of their most effective attacking outlets.

Nagoya Grampus forward Jungo Fujimoto or Urawa Reds playmaker Yosuke Kashiwagi are potential replacements for coach Alberto Zaccheroni, although he could once again rely heavily on CSKA Moscow star Keisuke Honda - who has already been nominated for the tournament's Most Valuable Player award.

Honda missed a penalty in normal time during the dramatic win over South Korea - substitute Hajime Hosogai slammed home the rebound - and the highly-rated front man will be eager to improve on the big stage, with a host of European giants reputedly clamouring for his signature.

Japan will need to overcome the strength and size of an Australian side desperate to claim a first ever Asian crown in what is only their second appearance in the tournament.

Speed versus strength, skill versus size - it's shaping up to be a fascinating Asian Cup final, and one that Samurai Blue fans everywhere are hoping will confirm their status as Asia's premier side.

Copyright © Mike Tuckerman & Soccerphile.com

Tags

World Cup Pens
World Cup Posters
Euro 2012 football

All aboard the K-Train?

He's one of the most in-demand players in Europe, plays as an attacking talent for Japan and proved decisive in their 3-2 quarter-final win over hosts Qatar at the Asian Cup.

And his name is not Keisuke Honda.

Japan relied heavily on Borussia Dortmund star Shinji Kagawa to see off the stubborn Qataris in a pulsating quarter-final, as the diminutive playmaker scored twice and set up the winner for Masahiko Inoha in a come-from-behind victory.

The Samurai Blue were forced to dig deep after defender Maya Yoshida was harshly dismissed in front of a partisan Qatari crowd, and Kagawa proved the difference in a virtuoso display.

But while the youngster was impressing in front of a global audience, what of Keisuke Honda, the player allegedly being chased by a host of English Premier League clubs?

Honda has had a quiet tournament to date, missing the group stage thrashing of Saudi Arabia through injury amid rumours he had fallen out with new coach Alberto Zaccheroni.

And having only scored once in the tournament so far - and that goal arrived from the penalty spot - Honda will be desperate to fire his team past arch-rivals South Korea and into the final.


Japan's semi-final clash with South Korea is one of the most anticipated games of the tournament, with the winner set to meet either Australia or Uzbekistan in the final.

The Samurai Blue met South Korea three times in 2010, losing twice and drawing once, and they'll be desperate to reach their first Asian Cup final since winning the tournament in Beijing in 2004.

Japan fans will no doubt hope CSKA Moscow star Honda can use some of his big-match experience to steer his side into the showpiece event, but it will be a far from simple task against a fired-up South Korea.

With Park Ji-Sung enjoying an outstanding tournament for the Taeguk Warriors, only one will be left standing as two of Asian football's biggest names go head-to-head in an Asian Cup semi-final cracker.

Copyright © Mike Tuckerman & Soccerphile.com


Tags

World Cup Pens
World Cup Posters
Euro 2012 football

Japan smash Saudis en route to quarter-finals

2,022. That was the attendance figure announced when Japan faced off against Saudi Arabia at Al-Rayyan stadium, and the symbolism drew a smattering of applause from the 800 or so fans actually in attendance.

Evidently the Asian Cup is not a widespread crowd-puller. With most Saudi fans on the first bus back to Jeddah as soon as the whistle blew on their second group-stage defeat, it's clear most of the Saudi players wished they'd taken the same route.

As it was, they hung around to be pummelled by an impressively professional Japan, who unsheathed the scimitar to hand Saudi Arabia a thoroughly deserved 5-0 defeat.

Shinji Okazaki was the star for the Samurai Blue, smashing home a hat-trick and generally proving a constant menace, as the Stuttgart-bound striker almost registered his treble inside the opening fifteen minutes.

Instead he had to wait until ten minutes from time to notch his hat-trick, while lone striker Ryoichi Maeda also helped himself to two goals, and Japan impressed with what was ostensibly a second-string line-up given the absence of the suspended Eiji Kawashima and injured duo Daisuke Matsui and Keisuke Honda.

Honda may struggle to force his way back into the side at the expense of Okazaki, although the one-dimensional Maeda is the man most likely to make way when the CSKA Moscow star returns from an ankle injury.

Perhaps the only concern for coach Alberto Zaccheroni is the continually sluggish form of midfielder Yasuhito Endo. Understudy Takuya Honda turned in a spritely five-minute cameo against the battered Saudis, and the Shimizu S-Pulse man must surely be close to pulling the rug out from underneath Endo.

So Japan march on to the Asian Cup quarter-finals: in-form and with the scent of blood in the nostrils. There'll be tougher tests to come, but if the point against Saudi Arabia was to land a knock-out blow, then it was done with emphatic certainty by Zaccheroni's team.

Copyright © Mike Tuckerman & Soccerphile.com




Tags



World Cup Pens
World Cup Posters
Asian Cup
football
Qatar
Doha

Japan... favourites! Are you having a laugh?

An Italian walks into a bar in Tokyo and asks for a local brew, but not wishing to disappoint, the barman discreetly pours the visitor a Peroni instead.

It’s a plausible scenario in a country like Japan, where citizens are eager to please and equally desperate to avoid criticism.

Perhaps that’s why the Japanese press were quick to turn a blind eye to another poor performance from the Samurai Blue at the Asian Cup in Qatar, as Alberto Zaccheroni’s men laboured to a 2-1 win over a spirited but technically inferior Syria.

A heaving press box at the Qatar Sports Club Stadium had plenty to write about, but while it might have been one of the more incident-packed games of the tournament, Japan’s narrow victory was hardly an advertisement for the best East Asian football has to offer.

Perhaps the sight of hulking giants Maya Yoshida and Ryoichi Maeda in the starting eleven should have given it away – Zaccheroni may have headed east, but his is still very much an Italian mentality.

Nevermind that Japan possess two speedy wing-backs in Atsuto Uchida and Yuto Nagatomo, neither man ventured forward with any real conviction.

Uchida may as well have been twiddling away on his Nintendo Wii for all his offensive input, and while the Schalke defender has clearly bulked up since arriving in Germany, he’s lost much of the attacking verve which made him such a dangerous player in the J. League.

The young defender wasn’t the only player who looked lost against the Syrians, as Yasuhito Endo turned in another ponderous performance in midfield.

“Even when we were down to 10 players we performed like we had 11,” explained Zaccheroni after the dismissal of goalkeeper Eiji Kawashima, but ironically Japan practically started with 10 players, so limited was Endo’s input.

Endo’s disappearing act was in stark contrast to midfield partner Makoto Hasebe, as the skipper continually drove the Samurai Blue forward, unleashing a number of bone-crunching tackles and scoring the all-important opener to break Syria’s stubborn resistance.

Hasebe and World Cup star Keisuke Honda were clearly Japan’s ‘go-to’ men, yet Honda’s constant penchant for cutting inside – under instruction from Zaccheroni – robbed Japan of much-needed width.

At times the Syrians fielded a six-man midfield, but it didn’t stop Honda or Daisuke Matsui from trying to bulldoze through it when some simple overlapping from Uchida and Nagotomo would have created space.

As it was, Japan managed to sneak home thanks to a disputed penalty; and even then, star man Honda almost botched a spot-kick which only just squeezed through Mosab Balhous’ legs.

Zaccheroni later called the match “totally one-sided,” which hardly explains why captain Hasebe celebrated his goal with such zeal.

Nor does it say much about Japan’s composure, after several players launched prolonged complaints following referee Mohsen Torky’s decision to award a contentious penalty and dismiss the unlucky Kawashima.

So Japan march on to a final-day clash with Saudi Arabia with their fate still very much in their own hands: did anyone truly expect less?

A more pertinent question is whether the Samurai Blue deserve their status as one of the tournament favourites?

On the basis of their 2-1 win over Syria, probably not.

Copyright © Mike Tuckerman & Soccerphile.com

Tags

World Cup Pens
World Cup Posters
Euro 2012 football

Doha: City of Traffic

Can Qatar host a successful World Cup in 2022? That's probably a moot question in terms of the Asian Cup, since so much of the country resembles an open construction site.

Eleven years is a long time between tournaments, and no doubt the army of construction workers who clog the footpaths and carparks of this tiny desert nation will work overtime to transform Qatar from its present dusty state into a shining beacon of the Gulf.

For now, though, Asian Cup fans are left to struggle with a more pressing logistical problem - the traffic.

The US government once suggested driving in Doha is akin to risking life and limb, which is why it makes more sense to employ the services of one of the city's daring band of taxi drivers.

He'll almost always hail from India - or Nepal, or Sri Lanka or a similar neighbouring state - and most crucially, he'll treat other road users and pedestrians with the contempt they deserve when time is of the essence.

And time is always of the essence in Doha - in peak hour, at any rate - when you're stranded on Al Waab Street behind miles of stationary traffic. Fortunately the problem is solved by simply driving along the dusty shoulder, as pedestrians scurry and law-abiding citizens curse the temerity of your admittedly deranged cabbie.

So, can Qatar successfully host the World Cup? We'll see. But they'll need to build some more roads first. And they'll need to increase their insurance premiums.

Oh, and one more thing. They'll need import some more cabbies; ones with bravado and courage and a complete lack of respect for the road rules.

Terrified Australian tourists need not apply.

Copyright © Mike Tuckerman & Soccerphile.com

World Cup Pens
World Cup Posters
Asian Cup football

Tags

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

Tags

World Cup Pens
World Cup Posters
Euro 2012 football

Nagoya can't choke now... can they?

Kashima Stadium is one of the more remote venues in Japanese football.

Sandwiched between Lake Kitaura on one side and Kashima Sea on the other, most fans make the long-haul trip to Kashima Stadium by train, as it trundles through the urban sprawl of Greater Tokyo and out into the open fields of Ibaraki.

The stadium is rarely full - only travelling hordes of Urawa Reds fans push attendances towards capacity - yet it remains a hostile place to come and play, not least because the J. League's most successful club Kashima Antlers possess a relentlessly imposing home record.

So it was that Nagoya Grampus made the slow journey out to Kashima Stadium on November 7, hoping that a 10-point gap over second placed Kashima Antlers would be enough to see them cruise to the title.

Instead it was Kashima who left the champions-elect bloodied and bowed, as a goal from Brazilian veteran Marquinhos on the hour mark hauled the Antlers back into an improbable title race.

Kashima are now eight points behind long-term league leaders Nagoya with five games to play, but if any team has experience of reeling in a front runner, it's Kashima.

In 2007, they lifted the most dramatic of league titles by snatching the trophy from a shell-shocked Urawa on the final day of the season, as Kashima thrashed Shimizu S-Pulse and saw the Reds slump to defeat against relegated Yokohama FC.

Kashima coach Oswaldo de Oliveira knows results must once again go his team's way if they are to have any chance of lifting the title, but it would take a hardy soul to bet against the three-times defending champions - even if Nagoya are still in the box seat.

Nagoya's run home is relatively simple. They face easy-beats Omiya Ardija, Shonan Bellmare and FC Tokyo, before finishing the season with an away trip to Tokai rivals Jubilo Iwata and a home clash against Sanfrecce Hiroshima at Toyota Stadium.

Kashima start their run home with a tough test on the road at Kawasaki Frontale, before easier matches against Vissel Kobe, Jubilo Iwata, Kyoto Sanga and Montedio Yamagata follow.

With third-placed Gamba Osaka breathing down Kashima's necks, the title race still has some spark left in it yet. One more victory should be enough for Nagoya Grampus to wrap up their maiden J. League title: surely they can't choke now, can they?

Never say never, in the weird and wild world of the J. League.

Kashiwa Reysol lead the way in J2

Chiba side Kashiwa Reysol look home and hosed in J2, and they should be joined in the top tier next season by fellow promotion certainties Ventforet Kofu, with Shonan Bellmare and Kyoto Sanga dropping down to replace them.

Reysol and Ventforet will almost certainly be joined by another former top-flight club in the form of Avispa Fukuoka, as the southern side have opened up a six-point gap on fourth-placed Tokyo Verdy with only five games remaining.

Jubilo Iwata win a dramatic League Cup final

The 2010 Yamazaki Nabisco League Cup final was as dramatic as they come, and it was Jubilo Iwata who walked away with the spoils, winning 5-3 in extra-time at a sun-drenched National Stadium in Tokyo.

Opponents Sanfrecce Hiroshima came within a minute of lifting the title, but a late equaliser from Jubilo's prolific striker Ryoichi Maeda sent the match into the added period.

Midfielders Minoru Suganuma and Ryohei Yamazaki then gave Jubilo a two-goal cushion, only for Sanfrecce star Tomoaki Makino to cut the deficit with a superb free-kick.

Maeda put the game beyond doubt with his second goal of the afternoon, and Sanfrecce's misery was compounded when Yoshikatsu Kawaguchi saved Makino's penalty with virtually the last kick of the game.

The win saw Jubilo collect their first major piece of silverware since 2003, as one of the fallen giants of the Japanese game finally returned to the winner's circle.

Copyright © Mike Tuckerman & Soccerphile.com


Tags

World Cup Pens
World Cup Posters
Euro 2012 football