Football Japan Minutecast

Kawasaki Frontale took a major stride towards their first ever J1 crown with a crushing 7-0 defeat of championship outsiders Sanfrecce Hiroshima at Todoroki yesterday evening.

After going in front with an early strike from Juninho, a tricky-looking fixture became much easier for Kawasaki when Hiroshima defender Ryota Moriwaki received a second yellow card midway through the first half. Though the visitors battled on bravely and created a number of chances to equalise, a powerful finish by Chong Tese doubled Frontale�fs advantage on the hour mark and opened the floodgates for six goals in the final 30 minutes.

Although a first league win in two months at home to JEF United Chiba kept Kashima Antlers just a point behind in second, Kawasaki�fs title hopes were boosted further by poor results for a number of their challengers. Third-placed Gamba Osaka fell four points off the pace following an insipid goalless draw with Yokohama F Marinos, while former leaders Shimizu S-Pulse suffered a second consecutive loss at home to FC Tokyo, who move up to fifth.

Shock defeats for two more contenders also helped bring the relegation battle closer to conclusion. Albirex Niigata�fs title dreams appear over after a 1-0 loss at Vissel Kobe, while Urawa Reds suffered a 3-0 derby mauling at home to Saitama rivals Omiya Ardija.

Two goals from Brazilian striker Rafael, either side of a red card for Urawa midfielder Robson Ponte, helped 15th-placed Omiya move nine points clear of Kashiwa Reysol, who lost 2-1 in their critical home meeting with Montedio Yamagata. Montedio and Vissel are now ten points clear of the drop zone with just four to play, but JEF United need a minor miracle after falling twelve points adrift of Ardija with a vastly inferior goal difference.

Oita Trinita�fs relegation was finally sealed on Saturday despite extending their unbeaten run to six with a 1-1 draw at Kyoto Sanga, while a spirited second half recovery saw Nagoya Grampus come from 3-0 down to steal a point at home to Jubilo Iwata. Dragan Stojkovic will be looking for similar heroics on Wednesday, as Grampus try to overturn a 6-2 first leg deficit in their AFC Champions League semi-final with Al-Ittihad of Saudi Arabia.


J1 results (matchday 30)
Kashima Antlers 3-0 JEF United Chiba
Gamba Osaka 0-0 Yokohama F Marinos
Vissel Kobe 1-0 Albirex Niigata
Kashiwa Reysol 0-1 Montedio Yamagata
Kyoto Sanga 1-1 Oita Trinita
Urawa Reds 0-3 Omiya Ardija
Shimizu S-Pulse 1-2 FC Tokyo
Kawasaki Frontale 7-0 Sanfrecce Hiroshima
Nagoya Grampus 3-3 Jubilo Iwata


AFC Champions League semi-final first leg results
Pohang Steelers (KOR) 2-0 Umm-Salal (QAT)
Al-Ittihad (KSA) 6-2 Nagoya Grampus

Two second half goals from Daiki Takamatsu earned Oita Trinita a stay of execution yesterday afternoon, and threw a real spanner into the works of Shimizu S-Pulse�fs title charge.

Oita needed all three points from this top-versus-bottom encounter at the Kyushu Oil Dome to at least delay their relegation to J2 for another week, and looked odds on to fall short when Keisuke Iwashita headed S-Pulse in front early in the second half. But Takamatsu gave Trinita a lifeline by equalising just eight minutes later, and with the momentum now suddenly all theirs, the striker headed home an Akihiro Ienaga cross on 78 minutes to seal a shock victory for the home side.

After yet another twist in an increasingly bizarre title race, Kawasaki Frontale are the new J1 leaders thanks to a 3-2 win at Omiya Ardija, which came in spite of two missed penalties in the first half. Mato Neretljak then levelled the scores for Omiya at 1-1 with a spot kick of his own, but a brace from Chong Tese was enough to put the visitors out of sight before the Croatian could score his second penalty kick just before full time.

Long-time leaders Kashima Antlers are a point behind in second following a 0-0 draw at Jubilo Iwata, while Gamba Osaka recovered from a two-goal deficit to seal a point at Sanfrecce Hiroshima that takes them level with Shimizu on 50 points and just two off the top. Hiroshima are now one of four teams behind them on 46 – alongside Urawa Reds, who won 1-0 at fifth-placed Albirex Niigata, and FC Tokyo, who thrashed Kashiwa Reysol 4-0.

Reysol are now six points adrift of safety, as Montedio Yamagata took a huge step towards a second season in the top flight with a 1-0 victory over Vissel Kobe. A 1-1 draw with Kyoto Sanga means the situation is even more desperate for JEF United Chiba, however, who are now three points further back with just 15 still to play for.

Elsewhere, Kenta Kano�fs last-minute strike gave Yokohama F Marinos a 2-1 win over Asian Champions League semi-finalists Nagoya Grampus.


J1 results (matchday 29)
FC Tokyo 4-0 Kashiwa Reysol
Montedio Yamagata 1-0 Vissel Kobe
Sanfrecce Hiroshima 2-2 Gamba Osaka
Omiya Ardija 2-3 Kawasaki Frontale
Albirex Niigata 0-1 Urawa Reds
Yokohama F Marinos 2-1 Nagoya Grampus
Jubilo Iwata 0-0 Kashima Antlers
Oita Trinita 2-1 Shimizu S-Pulse
JEF United Chiba 1-1 Kyoto Sanga

Former Japanese and Asian champions Urawa Reds suffered arguably the biggest humiliation in their history on Saturday afternoon as fourth-tier Matsumoto Yamaga FC pulled off a stunning 2-0 victory in the second round of the 2009 Emperor�fs Cup.

Matsumoto, who play their league football in the Hokushinetsu Regional League Division 1, raced into a 1-0 lead after just 12 minutes thanks to Michiaki Kakimoto, but with Urawa at virtually full strength, few would have expected the advantage to last for long. As it was, none of the 20 shots mustered by the Reds found the target, and the upset was complete when defender Takuya Abe doubled the minnows�f lead late in the second half.

With the J1 clubs now entering the tournament a round earlier, this year�fs Emperor�fs Cup offers more opportunities for shocks than in previous editions, and five other teams from outside the J. League were also able to seal their places in the last 32. Fukushima United of the fourth-tier Tohoku Soccer League pulled off a notable upset by winning 2-1 at J2 leaders Cerezo Osaka, while third-tier Honda Lock won 1-0 away to former champions Tokyo Verdy.

It was also a good day for student teams, as Fukuoka University won 3-2 at Mito HollyHock to seal a third round clash with Gamba Osaka. Meiji University gained a 1-0 victory at promotion-chasing J2 side Shonan Bellmare, and the National Institute of Fitness and Sports in Kanoya won 3-1 away to Tokushima Vortis.

Elsewhere, the Japanese national team were also in action this weekend, needing two late goals to break down a controversially weakened Scotland eleven in Yokohama. An own goal from Christophe Berra opened the scoring with just six minutes remaining, before Keisuke Honda doubled the Japanese advantage with a low drive in stoppage time. The win comes off the back of a 6-0 drubbing of Hong Kong in Asian Cup qualification last Thursday.


Emperor�fs Cup 2nd Round results
Kashima Antlers 1-0 Arte Takasaki
Ehime FC 2-2 Avispa Fukuoka (after extra time; Avispa won 4-2 on penalties)
Vissel Kobe 5-0 Tokai University
Kashiwa Reysol 0-0 JEF United Chiba Reserves (after extra time; Reysol won 4-2 on penalties)
Sanfrecce Hiroshima 5-0 Japan Soccer College
Sagan Tosu 5-0 Saga Higashi High School
Gamba Osaka 5-2 Ryutsu Keizai University FC
Mito HollyHock 2-3 Fukuoka University (after extra time)
V-Varen Nagasaki 0-4 Yokohama F Marinos
Cerezo Osaka 1-2 Fukushima United FC
Kawasaki Frontale 6-1 Renofa Yamaguchi
Kataller Toyama 0-0 Fagiano Okayama FC (after extra time; Kataller won 4-1 on penalties)
FC Tokyo 4-0 Kamatamare Sanuki
Thespa Kusatsu 3-1 Sagawa Shiga FC
Sony Sendai FC 2-4 Omiya Ardija
Vegalta Sendai 1-0 Zweigen Kanazawa (after extra time)
Matsumoto Yamaga FC 2-0 Urawa Reds
FC Gifu 1-0 Tochigi SC
Oita Trinita 3-3 Yokogawa Musashino FC (after extra time; Trinita won 4-3 on penalties)
JEF United Chiba 3-0 Honda FC
Nagoya Grampus 4-0 Okinawa Kariyushi FC
Tokyo Verdy 0-1 Honda Lock SC
Jubilo Iwata 2-0 Kochi University
Tokushima Vortis 1-3 National Institute of Fitness and Sports in Kanoya
Montedio Yamagata 2-0 Nippon Bunri University
Shonan Bellmare 0-1 Meiji University
Nara Club 0-3 Albirex Niigata
Roasso Kumamoto 2-2 Yokohama FC (after extra time; Yokohama won 4-2 on penalties)
Shimizu S-Pulse 2-0 Sagawa Printing
Consadole Sapporo 2-1 Gainare Tottori
Kyoto Sanga 4-0 Vertfee Takahara Nasu
Ventforet Kofu 3-3 Kansai University (after extra time; Ventforet won 4-3 on penalties)


International results
Japan 6-0 Hong Kong (Asian Cup qualification)
Japan 2-0 Scotland (friendly)


J1 results (matchday 25 - conclusion of abandoned match)
Kashima Antlers 2-3 Kawasaki Frontale