Second half strikes from Mitsuo Ogasawara and Daiki Iwamasa piled the pressure on beleaguered Oita Trinita manager Pericles Chamusca as J1 leaders Kashima Antlers came from a goal behind to win 2-1 at the Kyushu Oil Dome yesterday afternoon. The bottom club had looked keen to add to Kashima’s woes following a penalty shootout exit at the hands of FC Seoul in the AFC Champions League on Wednesday, and Hiroshi Kiyotake sparked hopes of a real upset with the opening goal nine minutes after the interval. Oita’s problems at the back were all too apparent, however, as they allowed far too much room for the champions to manoeuvre and ultimately steal all three points for themselves.
While the win keeps the Antlers seven points clear at the top, Chamusca’s future now appears far from certain after his side’s twelfth consecutive league defeat left them eight points adrift at the bottom, with just four points from their opening 15 games. The run is eerily similar to Trinita’s 13-game winless streak in 2005 that saw the Brazilian appointed in the first place, but is all the more surprising after a fourth place finish and victory in the Nabisco Cup last year came built on the foundation of the league’s most solid defence. Former Japan under-20 coach Yasushi Yoshida and ex-Urawa Reds boss Gert Engels have already been cited as potential replacements.
Another side in trouble are Montedio Yamagata, after a 1-0 loss at home to Kawasaki Frontale made it no wins and just two points in the last seven games for a team who had started their debut season in J1 in superb fashion. Gamba Osaka bounced back from their defeat to Frontale in the Champions League with a 2-1 win at Yokohama F Marinos, while two goals from Toshihiro Matsushita kept Albirex Niigata in second and relegated their beaten opponents, Nagoya Grampus, down to twelfth.
Urawa Reds stay third after a 2-0 win over Vissel Kobe, but Sanfrecce Hiroshima fall to sixth after losing by a similar scoreline at Kyoto Sanga. Kashiwa Reysol gained a crucial 3-2 victory over Jubilo Iwata to move closer to safety, as 16th-placed JEF United Chiba lost 2-0 at home to Omiya Ardija. FC Tokyo leapfrogged Shimizu S-Pulse into seventh with a 2-1 win at the National Stadium.
J1 results (matchday 15)
Kyoto Sanga 2-0 Sanfrecce Hiroshima
Jubilo Iwata 2-3 Kashiwa Reysol
Urawa Reds 2-0 Vissel Kobe
JEF United Chiba 0-2 Omiya Ardija
FC Tokyo 2-1 Shimizu S-Pulse
Montedio Yamagata 0-1 Kawasaki Frontale
Yokohama F Marinos 1-2 Gamba Osaka
Albirex Niigata 2-1 Nagoya Grampus
Oita Trinita 1-2 Kashima Antlers
AFC Champions League first knockout round results (Eastern section - 24 June)
Nagoya Grampus 2-1 Suwon Bluewings
Gamba Osaka 2-3 Kawasaki Frontale
Kashima Antlers 2-2 FC Seoul (FC Seoul win 6-5 on penalties)
Pohang Steelers 6-0 Newcastle Jets
![subscribe_with_itunes[1].gif](http://minutecast.up.seesaa.net/image/itunes.jpg)
![fbj[1].gif](http://minutecast.up.seesaa.net/image/fbj5B15D-thumbnail2.gif)
![feed_button[1].gif](http://minutecast.up.seesaa.net/image/feed_button5B15D-thumbnail2.gif){kind=small}