Football Japan Minutecast

The line-up for the quarter finals of this year�fs Yamazaki Nabisco Cup is now complete after the three-month group stage finally reached its conclusion on Saturday afternoon. Urawa Reds and FC Tokyo secured the wins they needed to guarantee places in the last eight alongside Japan�fs four AFC Champions League representatives and the already-qualified Shimizu S-Pulse, while Yokohama F Marinos sneaked through without kicking a ball as Sanfrecce Hiroshima failed to pick up the single point they required away to Jubilo Iwata.

Urawa were the day�fs big winners, beating Saitama rivals Omiya Ardija 6-2 in a match that turned on a red card for midfielder Chikara Fujimoto five minutes into the second half. The Reds will now take on Shimizu when the competition resumes next month, with a home leg on 15 July before the return trip to Nihondaira two weeks later. FC Tokyo play Nagoya Grampus, Gamba Osaka face Yokohama F Marinos, while Kashima Antlers entertain Kawasaki Frontale.

The league action in J1 gets back under way next Saturday after a four-week hiatus, but the Japanese national team will first travel to the Melbourne Cricket Ground to renew their rivalry with Australia in the World Cup qualifiers. With both countries already comfortably assured of their places in the Finals, the meeting is likely to lack its usual intensity, but Japan will still be looking to bounce back from their dull 1-1 home draw with Qatar last Wednesday with a win that would secure them top spot in Group A.

Uzbekistan visit Bahrain later the same evening needing a win to snatch a play-off spot away from their hosts, but the real action will come in Group B, as three teams separated by just one point battle it out for one automatic berth and one place in the play-offs. North Korea currently hold a two-goal ascendancy over Saudi Arabia before the two meet in Riyadh in a game that will guarantee qualification for the victors. A draw could yet see fourth-placed Iran steal second if they can win away to group winners South Korea.


Yamazaki Nabisco Cup results (matchday 7)
Group A
Urawa Reds 6-2 Omiya Ardija
Albirex Niigata 1-2 Oita Trinita
Jubilo Iwata 2-1 Sanfrecce Hiroshima

Group B
FC Tokyo 3-1 Shimizu S-Pulse
Kyoto Sanga 0-3 Kashiwa Reysol
Vissel Kobe 1-0 Montedio Yamagata


World Cup qualifying results (Asia)
Group A
Australia 2-0 Bahrain
Japan 1-1 Qatar

Group B
South Korea 0-0 Saudi Arabia
Iran 1-0 United Arab Emirates