Football Japan Minutecast

An injury time winner from North Korean international Chong Tese gave Kawasaki Frontale a thrilling 3-2 victory over Nagoya Grampus at the Toyota Stadium on Saturday afternoon.

Kawasaki were keen to bounce back quickly after their AFC Champions League troubles continued with a 3-1 home defeat to Beijing Guoan amidst heavy snow last Tuesday, and got off to a fine start when Renatinho wrong-footed Nagoya �ekeeper Seigo Narazaki with an excellent free kick after just three minutes. Winter signing Mu Kanazaki equalised moments later for the home side, but Frontale were back in front on the quarter-hour mark courtesy of another free kick – this time a heavily deflected effort by Chong Tese.

Nagoya�fs greater ambition in the second half brought rewards when Magnum connected with Igor Burzanović�fs crossed free kick to level the scores again, but Chong came up trumps once more with a powerful shot from 15 yards to clinch all three points in the final minute.

The result takes Kawasaki up to second in the embryonic J1 table behind newly-promoted Vegalta Sendai, who continued their impressive return to the top flight with a 3-1 win over Omiya Ardija thanks to goals from Ryang Yong-Gi, Elizeu, and Fernandinho.

In contrast, Gamba Osaka have now drawn all five of their competitive fixtures this year after following up a disappointing 1-1 draw at home to Henan Construction in the ACL with a similar scoreline away to Cerezo Osaka in the first Osaka derby in four seasons. Tomokazu Myojin�fs shot somehow found its way past Kenya Matsui to give Gamba the lead midway through the second half, but Brazilian forward Adriano levelled from a tight angle just six minutes later.

There were mixed fortunes for the other two Kansai sides, as Vissel Kobe sank to a 2-1 defeat at home to Sanfrecce Hiroshima, but a dramatic late equaliser from Diego gave Kyoto Sanga a useful point at home to defending champions Kashima Antlers.

Elsewhere, Shimizu S-Pulse thrashed Montedio Yamagata 3-0, Urawa Reds took a promising 1-0 win at home to FC Tokyo, Albirex Niigata drew 1-1 with Jubilo Iwata, and returning hero Shunsuke Nakamura helped Yokohama F Marinos to a 3-0 victory over Shonan Bellmare with an assist for Yuzo Kurihara�fs opener midway through the first half.


J1 results (matchday 2)
Yokohama F Marinos 3-0 Shonan Bellmare
Albirex Niigata 1-1 Jubilo Iwata
Shimizu S-Pulse 3-0 Montedio Yamagata
Vegalta Sendai 3-1 Omiya Ardija
Nagoya Grampus 2-3 Kawasaki Frontale
Kyoto Sanga 1-1 Kashima Antlers
Urawa Reds 1-0 FC Tokyo
Cerezo Osaka 1-1 Gamba Osaka
Vissel Kobe 1-2 Sanfrecce Hiroshima


AFC Champions League results (Eastern section, matchday 2)
Group E
Melbourne Victory 0-2 Seongnam Ilhwa Chunma
Kawasaki Frontale 1-3 Beijing Guoan

Group F
Changchun Yatai 9-0 Persipura Jayapura
Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors 1-2 Kashima Antlers

Group G
Gamba Osaka 1-1 Henan Construction
Singapore Armed Forces 0-2 Samsung Suwon Bluewings

Group H
Shandong Luneng 0-2 Adelaide United
Pohang Steelers 2-1 Sanfrecce Hiroshima