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Reports
J1 Matchday 28 rundown … what's to come?
J1 Catch-Up!
Matchday 28 – October 6th Results
Vegalta Sendai 2-1 Gamba Osaka
Urawa Reds 1-2 Consadole Sapporo
Yokohama F.Marinos 0-0 Hiroshima
Jubilo Iwata 0-1 Shimizu S-Pulse
Cerezo Osaka 3-2 Sagan Tosu
Kashima Antlers 5-1 FC Tokyo
Kashiwa Reysol 1-0 Kawasaki Frontale
Albirex Niigata 0-0 Vissel Kobe
Nagoya Grampus 0-0 Omiya Ardija
Going from top to bottom, Sanfrecce were held in a predictable scoreless draw with Marinos, allowing Vegalta to gain ground on the top spot as the Sendai team took three points from Gamba in a controversial match that saw Gamba “equalise”, but the officials deciding the ball had not gone over the line. Vegalta came out of that and doubled their lead, sealing the game, and the points. Gamba sit in 17th place, three points from safety, but the highest scorers in J1 (and the 2nd highest conceders!).
Meanwhile, Urawa Reds wasted the opportunity to move closer to the teams above them, as they went down to already-relegated Consadole Sapporo in a game they will want to forget!
In the Shizuoka Derby Shimizu S-Pulse came out victorious, and also moved above their neighbours, Jubilo, into 4th spot, with an eye on that ACL-qualifying top three place. S-Pulse also took out FC Tokyo 3-0 in the 2nd leg of the Nabisco Cup semi-final on October 13th, and booked a tie on November 3rd against Kashima Antlers, who were victorious over Kashiwa Reysol in the other semi-final. In league play, Kashiwa Reysol triumphed over Kawasaki Frontale on the only goal of the game, moving into 6th place on 42 points, although, it should be noted that the difference between Jubilo – in 5th place, also on 42 points – and 13th-placed Kashima Antlers is just five points!
Kashima Antlers reached 37 points courtesy of a 5-1 thrashing of FC Tokyo and they, along with Cerezo Osaka, on 38 points after a win over Sagan Tosu can not yet claim to be safe, but both teams are getting there. It is Vissel Kobe who have slipped into trouble after a bad run and they sit in 14th spot, just four points away from Albirex Niigata in the relegation spot of 16th. Those two teams fought out a scoreless draw last time out and now find themselves sandwiching Omiya Ardija – on 32 points, in 15th place, Ardija also getting a point from a scoreless draw in Matchday 28, against Nagoya Grampus.
You’ll find the full updated table for J1 (and J2), as always, at http://www.jsoccer.com/tables/
France 0-1 Japan (Kagawa) – Japan march on! Next up – Brazil.
Japan soaked up some early pressure in a first half that they allowed France to run away with, but France failed to capitalize on their possession and Japan came back into the game in the 2nd half. While the winning goal could not be said to have come from an unlikely source – Kagawa – the genesis of the goal was indeed unlikely.
France took a corner late on, the ball broke free and centre back Konno sprinted up the field. As he approached the penalty area, on his right wing was left back Nagatomo, in front of him was right back Uchida! He slipped the ball outside to Nagatomo who pinged it across the goal into a crowd of players when all were expecting/hoping for the killer shot. But in that crowd was Kagawa, who finished smartly, falling as he connected with the low volley, and Japan took the game!
The result was excellent, some of the performance not so excellent, especially the 1st half, but any win against a top-ranked team can only bring more confidence to the team, and the squad.
Analyzing individual games it’s hard to point out any particular times when a Japanese player had a problem – which doesn’t say too much for the French team – but also, it’s hard to pick out any individual brilliance to comment on, apart from Kawashima, in the Japan goal, who did pull off a couple of smart saves in the closing minutes before Japan took the lead.
Sakai did enough at right back for us to not notice he wasn’t Uchida. Endo was his usual calm and collected self, spraying passes all over, while he also got in a couple of biting tackles when needed – he ended the game with the captain’s armband, after Hasebe went off – a fitting way to mark his record-equaling 122nd appearance for the Samurai Blue. Hasebe was as reliable as ever, but when replaced by Hosogai it was the right timing – if he doesn’t get to play more, or get a quick transfer, Hosogai may be getting that starting place soon.
Nagatomo beat the French right side with ease often enough, but his crosses came to nothing. On the right Sakai was less conspicuous in attacking mode. Nakamura, Kagawa and Kiyotake were up and down the field, working hard, but also creating space for each other and confident in the pass.
In central defence, Yoshida and Konno put nary a foot (or head) wrong, although the French attack could have done better with the possession they had, but forwards who can’t finish are the product of, among other things, defenders doing their jobs.
Zaccheroni gave Inui some time on the field late on, and the ex-Cerezo man – teaming up with Kagawa (and Kiyotake also in on the Cerezo connection) again – showed flashes of why he should be considered for selection again soon.
So, no individual brilliance, perhaps, from Japan, but a decent all-round performance in the end, and a win for Les Bleus Samourais!
Bring on Brazil!
Japan starting XI (4-2-3-1)
GK Kawashima
DF (R to L) H. HasebSakai, Yoshida, Konno, Nagatomo
DMF Endo,Hasabe
OMF (R to L) Kiyotake, Nakamura, Kagawa
FW 194cm Havenaar Mike
92nd Emperor's Cup Round 3 Results
Kashiwa Reysol 2-1 Shonan Bellmare
AC Nagano Parceiro 0-0 Yokogawa Musashino FC after extra time, Yokogawa win on PKs
Jubilo Iwata 1-1 Kyoto Sanga FC after extra time, Jubilo win on PKs
Sagawa Shiga FC 1-1 JEF Utd Ichihara Chiba after extra time, JEF win on PKs
Vegalta Sendai 1-2 Roasso Kumamoto (after extra time)
Omiya Ardija 3-1 Avispa Fukuoka
Yokohama F.Marinos 2-1 Yokohama FC
Cerezo Osaka 2-1 Montedio Yamagata
Fagiano Okayama 2-3 Nagoya Grampus
Kamatamare Sanuki 1-2 Urawa Reds
FC Imabari 2-5 Machida Zelvia
Shimizu S-Pulse 1-0 Tokyo Verdy
Gamba Osaka 1-0 Mito Hollyhock
Albirex Niigata 0-1 Fukushima United
Kashima Antlers 3-1 Gainare Tottori (after extra time)
Kawasaki Frontale 3-2 Tokushima Vortis (after extra time)
FC Tokyo – 2-1 Jubilo Iwata
Vissel Kobe 2-3 Cerezo Osaka – extended report, see highlights below!
Vissel Kobe 2-3 Cerezo Osaka
This game started with a bang, as Hashimoto, Okubo and Mogi all had shots within the first 30 seconds as Vissel went for it from the whistle, but to no avail, but it didn’t take long for the home team to open the scoring when, in the 7th minute, Tokura controlled a pass, turned and threaded the ball to Ogawa running into the channel and the youngster made no mistake to give Vissel the lead. Kobe should have been 2-0 up in the 13th minute when a Nozawa free kick was headed on to Lee, who volleyed home with aplomb. The flag was up for offside on the flick-on, the only problem being that the flick-on was from a defender’s head – how both officials missed that is anyone’s guess, but a grave injustice for the ever-improving Korean centre back.
Vissel did eventually make it 2-0 just three minutes later when Ogawa turned provider, setting up Okubo who’s shot was too hot to handle for the keeper, who could only palm it out to a quickly-reacting Tokura, who turned the ball back across the goal where Soma was waiting to pop the ball into the open goal!
Cerezo were back in the game in the 22nd minute, when a long distance shot from Maruhashi moved wickedly in the air, giving Tokushige problems, the keeper only able to palm the ball out and Simplicio followed up and blasted the ball home to make it 2-1 – game on! Could have been, should have been 3-0, but now it was 2-1 – game changer from the officials, unfortunately.
Lee then got himself a yellow card as he came up behind Cerezo keeper Kim as he tried to throw the ball out. The keeper’s arm caught the retreating defender and the Cerezo players screamed at the ref. What else could the official do but pull out his card – it wasn’t the last time that the away team surrounded the official demanding cards. The interesting thing is that Kim was handling the ball often – including in this instance – as he tried to get distance on his throws. Standing on the line, his arms were often over the line when his throws were completed. I guess the sharp-eyed Assistant Referee who saw the non-offside wasn’t as sharp-eyed as we thought, after all! He also missed Kempes (and Kakitani) in an offside position when Kempes got his head onto a deep cross and got the ball on to the bar!
Just hitting the hour mark Maruhashi earned himself a straight red card for a dangerous challenge on Nozawa, who needed treatment and the away team were down to ten men with 30 minutes remaining. Then another game changer, perhaps from the officials? Lee challenged Kakitani on the wing, just yards away from the assistant referee, the Cerezo player grabbing the Kobe defender’s shirt all the way then going down. The referee gave the foul FOR Cerezo, the crowd went wild, the Cerezo players begged for a card and basically put enough pressure on the referee that whatever Lee did next he would be yellow carded. Vissel coach Nishino had no choice but to replace Lee – Takagi came on – lest Vissel also go down to ten men soon. Sugimoto – just on as a sub – hit the bar with a glancing header from the free kick and it wasn’t long before Simplicio had his second goal of the game, stealing in totally unmarked from a midfield position at the back post to head home a Kakitani cross to make it 2-2.
Edamura made an appearance for Cerezo in the 78th minute and, as it turned out, he was the game winner for Cerezo although it was that man Takagi who gifted him the chance, but what a finish! It was just a simple throw-in on the half way line but Takagi completely misjudged the bounce of the ball, it went over his head, Edamura broke, advanced, Kitamoto blocked him off from moving inside but the S-Pulse loanee didn’t need to – he let fly from 20 yards and the ball flew into the corner – 3-2 Cerezo, game over! Well, not quite, Mogi, Kitamoto, Ogawa, Okubo AND Fernand all had half chances in the final minutes as Vissel piled on the pressure looking for a point but it was not to be. Cerezo moved up and, arguably, safe, Vissel dropped into danger.
Vissel Kobe – Tokushige, Mogi, Lee (Takagi, 68), Kitamoto, Soma, Tanaka (Morioka, 78), Hashimoto, Nozawa, Ogawa, Tokura (Fernand, 77), Okubo
J1 Round Up Sept. 29th, matchday 27.
Sanfrecce Hiroshima 4-1 Sagan Tosu
Sanfrecce started the day looking to cement their hold on the top of J1, and they did so in style with this convincing victory over Sagan. A shot from Shimizu, which deflected off THREE players before finding its way into the net, opened the scoring. A penalty kick – converted by Sato – that should have been an indirect free kick to the defender made it 2-0 – a terrible decision by the referee – the defender even got a yellow card for his troubles! Koji Morisaki made it 3-0 after Sato pounced on a defensive mistake, before Toyoda slid in with a header at the far post to give Sagan a consolation in added time. Even then, Sato scored his 2nd in added time, lobbing the onrushing keeper, the ball bouncing into the empty net to make it 4-1.
Kashiwa Reysol 1-2 Urawa Reds
A bizarre own goal put Reysol a goal up early on, the ball going in from a corner via a deflection from a defender, the goalkeeper’s head, the crossbar, and in off the keeper again! Umesaki equalised from close range, after Marcio Richardes was denied by the keeper and Kashiwagi twice came close to giving Reds the lead, before another bizarre goal gave Reds the win in added time, Popo nipping in between a defender and the keeper leaving the ball to each other on the edge of the area – a vital win for Reds keeping them in touch with top team Sanfrecce!
Shimizu S-Pulse 3-1 Vegalta Sendai
An unmarked Ota opened the scoring for the away team in the 14th minute before S-Pulse clawed their way back for a well-deserved three points. By the time S-Pulse equalised through a Kim header, from a Jong-a-Pin left wing cross, Kamata had seen red and Sendai were down to ten men – makes a change for S-Pulse to have the full number and the other team to lose a man!! Senuma saw his header from an 84th minute corner sneak between the keeper and the defender on the post to see the orange team take the lead and Kim made it 3-1 with his second – a speculative 40 yarder that the keeper completely messed up! S-Pulse rise again, bring on Jubilo Iwata next week!
Kawasaki Frontale 1-0 Consadole Sapporo
Sapporo looked like they would hold on to their J1 life for at least another game, by gaining a point here before a late goal from Renato consigned the away team to relegation with 7 games left of the season.
FC Tokyo 2-1 Jubilo Iwata
Suganuma opened the scoring for Jubilo with a far post header in the 9h minute while Tokyo came close to the equaliser from two corners – the first saw Takahashi heading against a post and the second, Lucas forcing a fine save from the keeper with his glancing near post header just before the break. The equaliser came on 54 minutes as Edmilson poked home at the second attempt after Vucicevic has forced a save from the keeper after first-timing Ishikawa’s left wing cross. Maeda had a header rightly disallowed for offside then, before Vucicevic blasted home the late winner from a low right wing cross from Watanabe.
Gamba Osaka 2-2 Kashima Antlers
Although Gamba began well they were soon a goal down after Renato placed his left foot shot into the top corner from 20 yards out in the 9th minute. Leandro made it 1-1 with a superb volley from a Futagawa headed on throw-in, and the score was 1-1 with Gamba seemingly in control again. Konno almost made it 2-1 with a bullet header from an Endo cross flying just over the bar, but then, the away team were back in front from nowhere. Renato shot from 25 yards, Fujigaya should have saved with ease in the Gamba goal, but let the ball bounce out of his arms, and Dutra was first on the spot to slam home the rebound – even Dutra doesn’t miss gifts like that! Half time, 1-2 Antlers.
Into added time and it was that man Leandro again, scoring a superbly controlled equaliser in the 92nd minute to give Gamba a deserved point. Leandro must be putting forward his case for player of the season, and even challenging for the top scorer award, and that after playing in just 8 games for his 11 goals so far!
Omiya Ardija 0-0 Yokohama F.Marinos
Murakami hit a post and Novakovic hit the bar for Ardija, while Yuji Ono missed chances for Marinos as it seemed that no-one would ever break the deadlock! 0-0 it stayed!
Albirex Niigata 5-0 Nagoya Grampus
It was all square, 0-0 at half time but the 2nd period soon changed everything, although it took a VERY dubious penalty to set things in
motion. Better not say too much but if FC Tokyo’s PK against S-Pulse in he Nabisco Cup was enough to have the player persecuted then take a
look at this one! Michel converted the undeserved PK in fhe 54th minute, then made it 2-0 eight minutes later, before an own goal made it 3-0. Bruno Lopes actually scored a superb goal by the time Grampus heads had dropped in the final minute of normal time, before Tsubouchi
put the final nail in the Grampus coffin with a stooping header at the far post in the 95th minute. Of course Nagoya are getting used to
being beaten 5-0 by relegation-threatened teams now!
Vissel Kobe 2-3 Cerezo Osaka – see separate report above ….
Vissel Kobe 2-3 Cerezo Osaka …
http://osaka-cerezo.blogspot.jp/2012/10/crazy-kansai-derby-vissel-kobe-2-3.html
The view for a Cerezo fan on the Hanshin Derby last Saturday – Vissel Kobe 2-3 Cerezo Osaka … great comeback, vital win which drags Vissel down into the battle to save their J1 status!
S-Pulse 3-1 Vegalta!
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J1 Round-Up Matchday 26, September 22nd …
Consadole Sapporo 0-5 Omiya Ardija
Omiya Ardija surprised no-one by winning at Consadole, even the five goals probably didn’t surprise too many. Consadole will be officially, mathematically in J2 within two games unless they can win a few… but it will just be delaying the inevitable. Is that what Omiya are doing – they won, yes. But so did Cerezo and Gamba…. so no real changes at the bottom! Omiya got the goals from Novakovic (3), Carlinho and Yu Hasegawa.
Kashima Antlers 1-2 Yokohama F.Marinos
Marinos halted their slump with an away win at perennial (but not very good this year) rivals Antlers on goals from Andrew Kumagai and Shunsuke Nakamura. Antlers 95th minute consolation was a way offside tap in from Juninho!
Vegalta Sendai 2-1 Vissel Kobe
Vissel opened the scoring on a pinpoint header from Tashiro early in the game but Vegalta eventually came back into the game through another great header from Akamine. A spectacular, but dangerous, scissor kick from Kamata in injury time won it for Sendai but I’d like to see the referees be a bit stronger and give a free kick for dangerous play, rather than think, wow, what a great goal. Take a look at the highlights elsewhere on jsoccer.com and tell me, would you have stuck your head in there? Inoha certainly didn’t risk it! Highlights elsewhere at jsoccer.com
Urawa Reds 0-5 Gamba Osaka
Gamba Osaka saw the return of Leandro, and the return of goals and winning ways. The relegation-threatened team became J1’s highest scorers (although also J1’s 2nd-worst defence!) with this easy five goal away thrashing of Urawa Reds – putting a huge dent in the Saitama team’s title hopes. Abe opened the scoring in front of over 46,000 fans – about 95% being Reds supporters – with a left foot shot through a forest of legs, Leandro scored a couple of beauties before being replaced by Paulinho late on. The substitute added a couple more late goals but Gamba could have had a few more with better finishing. A huge step toward staying in J1, but with Omiya and Cerezo winning, the pressure is on Albirex now – as well as struggling Antlers and Vissel, perhaps! Highlights elsewhere at jsoccer.com
Jubilo Iwata 0-0 Albirex Niigata
Jubilo looking for a win to stay in the title race. Albirex looking for three points to stay in J1. Stalemate, but an entertaining game, we hear!
Cerezo Osaka 3-2 Shimizu S-Pulse
S-Pulse went ahead, Brosque being upended for a PK which Omae converted. Kempes got the equaliser, and Kakitani got the go-ahead goal in added time of the first half, slotting home a rebound off the keeper. Alex Brosque scored a nice free kick to bring the game level on 70 minutes and then it was Simplicio’s turn to get the winner with a couple of minutes to go. A very important three points for Cerezo, and the end of S-Pulse’s faint hopes of ending in a top 3 place? Highlights elsewhere at jsoccer.com
FC Tokyo 1-2 Kawasaki Frontale
Almost 35,000 fans at Ajinomoto Stadium saw Frontale go two goals up through goals from Kusukami and Jeci in the first ten minutes of the 2nd half. Edmilson, a 75th minute substitute, gave FC Tokyo faint hope with a goal in the 88th minute, but it was too late and Frontale probably made their season safe, if not a little disappointing!
Nagoya Grampus 1-2 Sanfrecce Hiroshima
Sanfrecce Hiroshima took the lead on a superb solo run ans shot from Shimizu five minutes before the break. In some nice symmetry, Tulio equalised five minutes after the break and it was stalemate until deep into injury time when Moriwaki came storming up the filed from his own half to get on the end of a far post cross and send the ball looping back over Narzaki, to creep in under the bar to give Sanfrecce the three points and keep them in the top spot, by two points from Vegalta Sendai, who had also scored a VERY late winner. Highlights elsewhere at jsoccer.com
Sagan Tosu 3-1 Kashiwa Reysol
Defeat at Sagan Tosu leaves Kashiwa Reysol 11 points off the lead and six points out of the ACL places, and also allows Sagan to leapfrog them into 5th place. Sagan are this year’s Reysol? In their furst season in the top flight Sagan have won many friends and surprised many pundits with their results and J1 2013 will be interesting for them! One season wonders, or consolidating and improving? The home team scored three goals between the 43rd and 53rd minutes before Leandro Domingues got one back in the 65th to rekindle some faint hope for Reysol, but no, not today!