Football Japan Minutecast

Nagoya Grampus recovered from a 4-0 drubbing at Kawasaki Frontale in midweek to move five points clear at the head of J1 with a 3-1 victory against Gamba Osaka yesterday evening, after several of their rivals once again missed the opportunity to strengthen their positions.

Shimizu S-Pulse suffered a shock 4-1 reverse away to Albirex Niigata on Tuesday, before conceding Shizuoka derby honours against Jubilo Iwata yesterday to make it three defeats in a row since Kenta Hasegawa�fs side went top earlier this month. A first ever J. League goal for 20-year-old midfielder Kosuke Yamamoto just before half-time was enough to restore a decisive one-goal advantage for Jubilo after Kosuke Ota had cancelled out Gilsinho�fs opener.

Long-time leaders Kashima Antlers have just two points from four games in August after the concession of a last-minute equaliser to Gamba Osaka in midweek was followed by a home loss to Cerezo Osaka on Saturday, with Takashi Inui beating Hitoshi Sogahata at his near post to score the game�fs only goal on 55 minutes. Any hopes that in-form Kawasaki had of taking advantage to go second, however, were dashed by a brace from Cho Young-Cheol later that evening as Niigata added to their impressive list of recent victims.

With the pressure relieved somewhat by results elsewhere, Grampus needed just six minutes to open the scoring in Sunday�fs late game through an opportunistic 30-yard effort from Naoshi Nakamura. Despite being pegged back when Gamba defensive midfielder Hideo Hashimoto found the net for an unlikely sixth match in succession, Dragan Stojković�fs men recovered their rhythm to seal victory with goals from Danilson and Joshua Kennedy.

Cerezo�fs superb recent form means they now head a trio of sides five points off the Nagoya pace, ahead of Kashima and Shimizu on goal difference. Kawasaki are a point further back in fifth, with Niigata now just one point behind them after five wins from their last seven games.

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Kyoto Sanga and Shonan Bellmare are in danger of being cast adrift at the bottom after their 2-2 draw on Wednesday was followed by respective home defeats at the hands of Yokohama F Marinos and Urawa Reds over the weekend. Vegalta Sendai - who finished ahead of Cerezo as J2 winners last year - recorded their first league win since as far back as 4 April with a 3-0 romp at Omiya Ardija.

Sendai are now just two points behind Vissel Kobe, who drew 0-0 at Montedio Yamagata, and crisis club FC Tokyo, for whom a 2-0 home setback against Sanfrecce Hiroshima represented a fourth defeat in five games.



J1 results (matchday 20)
Kashima Antlers 0-1 Cerezo Osaka
FC Tokyo 0-2 Sanfrecce Hiroshima
Shonan Bellmare 1-4 Urawa Reds
Albirex Niigata 2-1 Kawasaki Frontale
Kyoto Sanga 1-2 Yokohama F Marinos
Montedio Yamagata 0-0 Vissel Kobe
Omiya Ardija 0-3 Vegalta Sendai
Jubilo Iwata 2-1 Shimizu S-Pulse
Nagoya Grampus 3-1 Gamba Osaka


J1 results (matchday 19)
Albirex Niigata 4-1 Shimizu S-Pulse
Gamba Osaka 1-1 Kashima Antlers
Urawa Reds 1-1 Vegalta Sendai
Yokohama F Marinos 0-1 Montedio Yamagata
Kawasaki Frontale 4-0 Nagoya Grampus
Shonan Bellmare 2-2 Kyoto Sanga
Jubilo Iwata 3-2 Vissel Kobe
Cerezo Osaka 4-1 FC Tokyo
Sanfrecce Hiroshima 1-2 Omiya Ardija