Football Japan Minutecast

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