Unfancied Omiya Ardija were the biggest winners on the opening weekend of the 2010 J1 season after an emotional 3-0 victory over newly-promoted Cerezo Osaka at the NACK5 Stadium on Sunday afternoon.
The visitors came into their first top flight game in three seasons with a big reputation after totalling 100 goals and 104 points in J2 last year, but it was the home side that quickly took the upper hand and led after just 14 minutes when Hayato Hashimoto’s corner somehow drifted straight in over the head of Kenya Matsui, making his debut in the Cerezo goal. Omiya’s advantage was then doubled shortly before the interval when Rafael squared the ball for strike partner Naoki Ishihara to slot home from close range.
The defining image of the game, however, came eight minutes from full time when Rafael was first to react to a Mato Neretljak free kick that had rebounded off the crossbar to make the score 3-0. The Brazilian forward then led his teammates to celebrate the win with an orange number 2 jersey in tribute to Ardija defender Taishi Tsukamoto, who was recently diagnosed as having bone cancer in his right leg.
Elsewhere, goals right at the beginning and end of the match from Shinzo Koroki and Marquinhos gave champions Kashima Antlers a 2-0 win over Urawa Reds with which to begin their assault on a record fourth straight J. League crown, while Nagoya Grampus gained revenge for their defeat in the Emperor’s Cup final by beating Gamba Osaka 2-1 at Banpaku. Keiji Tamada’s early strike was cancelled out by a fine equaliser from Takahiro Futagawa, but Joshua Kennedy scored midway through the second period to secure all three points for the visitors.
Jubilo Iwata went down to a newly-promoted side on opening day for the second year in a row thanks to a solitary, first-minute goal from Vegalta Sendai’s North Korean midfielder Ryang-Yong Gi, while Shonan Bellmare opened their first top flight campaign of the 21st century with a 1-1 draw at home to Montedio Yamagata.
In the weekend’s other matches, a last-minute equaliser from Genki Omae earned Shimizu S-Pulse a point at Sanfrecce Hiroshima, FC Tokyo secured a tense 1-0 win over Yokohama F Marinos, Kawasaki Frontale won 2-1 against Albirex Niigata, and Vissel Kobe beat Kyoto Sanga 2-0 in the first Kansai derby of the year.
J1 results (matchday 1)
Shonan Bellmare 1-1 Montedio Yamagata
Jubilo Iwata 0-1 Vegalta Sendai
FC Tokyo 1-0 Yokohama F Marinos
Sanfrecce Hiroshima 1-1 Shimizu S-Pulse
Kashima Antlers 2-0 Urawa Reds
Kawasaki Frontale 2-1 Albirex Niigata
Gamba Osaka 1-2 Nagoya Grampus
Vissel Kobe 2-0 Kyoto Sanga
Omiya Ardija 3-0 Cerezo Osaka
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Anyway, keep up the good work - just one thing...speak a little slower!!
As for Ono, I'd say his chances of getting in are currently no better than 30% given the wealth of options Japan now has in midfield. But, as you say, the relationship with Okazaki could be key - if Shinji the younger has 10 goals by the end of May and Ono's set up half a dozen or so, then he'll be hard to ignore.
I've always liked Ono, though... let's just say he's going to have to be good!