Football Japan Minutecast

Albirex Niigata players were booed by their own supporters yesterday for the first time this season after a late slip-up cost them two points in what was supposed to be an easy win over lowly Montedio Yamagata. A wonderful 25-yard free kick from Marcio Richardes at the start of the second half gave the title challengers a 1-0 lead that looked to be decisive, but a mistake by Japan forward Kisho Yano two minutes from the end allowed Yamagata to launch a counter-attack from midfield, culminating in a grateful Yu Hasegawa slotting the ball home to secure a valuable point for the visitors.

Although the draw was still enough to take Albirex back up to second – a position unthinkable at the start of the season for a team that had ended last season down in 13th – the frustration in Niigata was clear for all to see as players and fans alike rued another missed opportunity to gain ground in the championship race. Albirex have now drawn three matches on the spin, having held a lead in each and succumbed to late equalisers in two of them.

The result was even more agonising in light of two shock scorelines the previous evening. J1 leaders Kashima Antlers needed a second half equaliser from Marquinhos to rescue a point in their home meeting with second-from-bottom Kashiwa Reysol, who had led at the interval through Yusuke Murakami, while Urawa Reds fall to third after a shock 3-0 home mauling at the hands of Nagoya Grampus. After just one win in their previous ten matches, Nagoya coach Dragan Stojkovic finally has cause to smile again thanks to a brace from Keiji Tamada and a second goal in two games from new Australian striker Joshua Kennedy.

Despite their draw, Kashima�fs lead at the top is now up to ten points after Kawasaki Frontale suffered a 3-1 loss at Kyoto Sanga, missing their opportunity to go second in the process. Below them, fifth-placed FC Tokyo drew 0-0 with Sanfrecce Hiroshima in what had been billed as a meeting of the league�fs entertainers, while Gamba Osaka moved up to sixth after Hayato Sasaki�fs goal scraped them a 1-0 win over bottom club Oita Trinita.

Kashiwa are now just three points from safety after Vissel Kobe and JEF United Chiba suffered home defeats at the hands of Omiya Ardija and Shimizu S-Pulse, respectively. Jubilo Iwata drew 1-1 with Yokohama F Marinos in the weekend�fs remaining match.


J1 results (matchday 19)
FC Tokyo 0-0 Sanfrecce Hiroshima
Kashima Antlers 1-1 Kashiwa Reysol
Urawa Reds 0-3 Nagoya Grampus
JEF United Chiba 1-2 Shimizu S-Pulse
Gamba Osaka 1-0 Oita Trinita
Vissel Kobe 1-2 Omiya Ardija
Albirex Niigata 1-1 Montedio Yamagata
Jubilo Iwata 1-1 Yokohama F Marinos
Kyoto Sanga 3-1 Kawasaki Frontale