Half time, 0-0… a 2nd red card, already, again, not necessary, and a goal disallowed for offside… read on…Just before half time, Antlers score, disallowed for offside…… no comment from commentators until a few minutes later when we get two replays – one from behind the goal, wrong angle to even discuss whether it may not have been offside. The 2nd replay is from a better angle, BUT, all we get is Araiba AFTER he has received the ball (in the offside position, allegedly) and just about to cross, and then the cross and “goal” are shown. Again, dumb ignorance in playing the wrong angles? I don’t think so – more following of instructions not to discuss anything controversial? Yes! No doubt!Japanese football COULD be so much better, but it will never improve when this is the coverage we get…. doesn’t help kids trying to learn, doesn’t help referee in covering up mistakes, doesn’t help anyone!

Photocopy Cup, Kashima vs. Sanfrecce – three minutes in and Ogasawara and Stoyanov are pushing each other around, unseen by the officials (and by the TV commentators, even though I saw it on the screen!)……

… and who the #### was that referee? A disgrace to the black (yellow, red, green, whatever) shirt! Tashiro through on goal, hauled down – red card. Keeper shoulder high intentional foot on Yasuda, red card (I await news on possible broken ribs/shoulder injury?). When Suzuki and the Chinese captain got the yellow cards for handbags, the keeper came running out again and pushed Suzuki around, 2nd (3rd!) yellow for the keeper – referee chickened out, therefore another deserved red….. and how about TWO occasions when Chinese forwards left the foot in on Narazaki as he collected a ball (one left him with a cut next to his left eye)!? Fouls on Hanyu, Kaji, Suzuki, Endo, Nakazawa and Nakamura WELL deserving of yellow cards – replays showed intent….. it was getting dangerous to be Japanese on that field…. that referee should be banned, and made to pay back the money the Chinese team paid him! AND Tashiro’s goal was NOT offside! And Nakazawa (or was it Uchida?) got a yellow card for time-wasting! LOL!! Says it all…… well done Japan. Bring on (South)Korea.

Marks previews the season for “his” team….

Japan went behind to a snap shot on 6 minutes, but then Maeda got the equalizer and Japan breathe again….

Full squad, comments and previews of the tournament in China starting this weekend….

Here is the full J2 schedule available at J.League home page:http://www.j-league.or.jp/eng/

Here is the J1 full schedule, available at the J.League home page:http://www.j-league.or.jp/eng/

Urawa Reds’ Robson Ponte was named Most Valuable Player at the 2007 J.League Awards December 17th.

Here’s to a good start next week!! Here’s the story from last year…