A game of few chances or highlights for either side, Endo swung in a great shot – right footed from the left wing – in the 18th minute that had Marinos keeper Iikura scrambling to tip it over the bar, while the closest the home team came in the 1st half was a Nakamura free kick that sailed harmlessly over the bar minutes before the break.
After the break Marinos came closer in the 48th minute as Marquinos set up Yuji Ono, who forced a fine save from Gamba keeper Kimura.
Right on the hour mark, Marinos were awarded a PK when Niwa was deemed to have tripped Saito in the area, but the off form Nakamura smacked the ball against the bar and the game headed for a scoreless draw… a rare occasion for Gamba, to be sure! Fujiharu did his best to break the deadlock in the 86th minute, as Kurata fed him on the edge of the area, but his rising shot was gathered by the keeper and the game did indeed end scoreless. Marinos did not manage a 5th win in a row, while Gamba kept a clean sheet for the first time since …. well, who can remember!

Vissel began this game hoping for another win for interim coach Adachi before he handed over the reins to incoming coach Akira Nishino and they almost got off to a dream start when a Yoshida cross was totally missed by Aoyama, leaving Nozawa free to shoot but his attempt was straight at the keeper. But it was the home team that took the lead in the 12th minute when a corner went straight through to Mizumoto, who half volleyed it home, totally unmarked from a few yards out.
Chiba almost made it 2-0 from another corner when his header struck the post, but the score remained 1-0 at half time and Vjssel turned the game around in a few short minutes through a Nozawa inswinging free kick that went through everyone and in at the far post, and then Morioka made it 2-1 with less than ten minutes to go after fine work from Tashiro and Tanaka created the opening.
But Sanfrecce are not in the position that they are in because they give up easily and three minutes later they were level. Ishihara latched onto a deflected pass and calmly slotted the ball past the onrushing Tokushige in the Vissel goal. And the home team got all three points when Moriwaki danced through the Vissel defence in lost time to make the final score 3-2!

Shimizu saw a chance to close in on the top spot last week pass them by when they struggled to find a point with a last kick equaliser against Cerezo and today they could afford no mistakes if they were to keep within touching distance of Sendai. Unfortunately, this game did not go as planned, although, despite a couple of easier chances, for Kashiwagi in particular, the only goal of the game came just before half time, and it was Abe who squeezed the ball home on the second attempt from a corner.
Alex Brosque saw his second yellow card for a challenge on Marcio Richardes before the hour was up and then Haraguchi did his best to extend the lead for the home team. In the 67th minute the young forward twisted and turned through three defenders but saw his shot just over and minutes later he raced down the right wing and slipped the ball across for Kashiwagi, who forced a fine save from Hayashi.
Abe hit the bar with a header and Reds had a nicely worked goal disallowed, quite correctly, for offside, and S-Pulse lost a game that they really should have won, IF they are to prove they are championship-challenging material.

Sendai started this match aiming to stay top of J1 after faltering with a loss and a draw in recent matches, and S-Pulse, among others are hot on their tail! The 2010 champions, Nagoya Grampus are never an easy proposition, although are undergoing some difficulties at the start of this campaign. Actually, strike that…. I should say WERE never an easy proposition, because they capitulated big time today!
Vegalta almost took the lead in the 18th minute as a low cross from Ryang was whipped off the toes of Sekiguchi in front of a wide open goal, but it was Ryang again, who finally opened the scoring in the 38th minute. But it was down to terrible hesitation TWICE within seconds, in the Grampus defence, before Ryang slotted home. It was 2-0 on the stroke of half time, as a deep corner was headed back across goal by Akamine and the hapless Masukawa popped it into his own net!
It stayed that way until the 87th minute when Tulio – who seemed Nagoya’s most potent forward today – saw his shot cleared off the line. The ball ricocheted out to Ota, who advanced forward, slotted a pass to Wilson and the Brazilian stayed on his feet for a change, probably because the challenge from Tanaka was half-hearted at best, and poked the ball home to make the game well and truly safe for the home team. But that wasn’t the end of the misery for Grampus! In the 90th minute Kakuda forced a fine save from Narazaki but the free ball was admired by Tanaka, again showing he is looking for a break in the next game, and Sugai poked home the free ball to make it 4-0, as Sendai stayed top, with ease!

Vissel started brightly and pressured the Nagoya defence looking for mistake and, indeed, Yoshida made Tulio look average on the left wing, forcing the clumsy defender to rugby tackle the Vissel forward to the ground before he got into the area.
Incredibly – for a referee who gave eight yellow cards and two reds to Shimizu S-Pulse two weeks ago – referee Mr. Nishimura did not even produce a yellow card for what could easily have warranted a red, and it was at the other end in the 8th minute that Nozawa completely mis-kicked what seemed an easy clearance and Fujimoto had a free shot which he saw saved high up in the corner buy Tokushige in the Vissel goal. The home keeper also got his hand to Kennedy’s follow-up shot to keep the scores level.

Nagai tried to chip one into the far corner in the 16th minute but, again Tokushige earned his salary with another one-handed save. Ogawa forced a save from Grampus keeper Narazaki in the 28th minute, while Park hit the post with a 25 yarder that rebounded out to Ogawa. The youngster slipped it back to Nozawa and his cross found Yoshida who saw his header tipped over the bar. Minutes before half time Kennedy pulled a low cross back from the byeline and Tamada got a foot to it and the ball sneaked in between Tokushige and Vissel centre back Kitamoto for a fortunate opening goal against the run of play.

Vissel pushed for the equaliser and it was Okubo, on as a sub, who robbed a dithering defender and advanced on Narazaki but the Japan national team forward saw his shot sneak past the keeper AND the post and Vissel were not to make it three wins in-a-row from interim coach Adachi.

Genki Haraguchi made his first start for nine games as the single forward in a 3-2-4-1 line-up, but it was Marcio Richardes who made light work of an 11th minute Makino pass from the left touchline to slot the opening goal home. Just before the half hour Albirex were level as Bruno Lopes volleyed home a loose ball for the equaliser. Both teams went looking for the winner but chances for both teams were either denied by desperate defensive tackles, or less than perfect finishes.

A new signing from Gremio of Brazil – Rene Santos – made his debut for Frontale at right back. After winning games with no Brazilians in the team, one would have thought coach Kazama would have thought better of this change and, sure enough, the away team – in a huge slump – pulled out the win! Kashiwa Reysol coach had perhaps worked out his particular Brazilian Sudoku, as Ricardo Lobo, though seemingly uninjured and not suspended, did not even make the bench – a wise decision indeed.

Kudo opened the scoring for the away team just after the hour mark with the second attempt at a close range chance and, minutes later it was Junya Tanaka who blasted a half volley straight at the keeper, who seemed to know little about it hitting him in the chest. The deficit for Frontale remained a single goal until added time, when Kudo advanced with the ball, drew the defence and slipped it to his left where Jorge Wagner was marauding in and he took it first time to make it final score 2-0.

Sanfrecce lined up in 3-2-4-1 line-up and were soon ahead from an unlikely source – a 63 yard effort from Toshio Aoyama, who spotted Iikura off his line and blasted it from way inside his own half! Ishihara was denied from making it 2-0 before a Yuji Oo cross, in the 38th minute, found old man Marquinos heading home at the far post for the equalizer. Oguro – this is how it’s done!

Hisato Sato got the better of centre back Nakazawa mid-way through the 2nd half but his shot on the turn flew across the goal and it was Marinos who got the go-ahead goal in the 77th minute as Sanfrecce keeper (did a “Fujigaya” and ) mishandled a tame Oguro header and Saito made the loose ball count. And it was soon 3-1 as Tomisawa headed home a Nakamura corner with aplomb, and Marinos were making it four wins in a row!

Hasegawa started a game for Ardija for the first time this season, with Rafael benched, while Sagan Tosu – protecting a home unbeaten record – were without top scorer Toyoda through suspension, but Min Woo Kim was a handful for the away team today, putting one just over the bar erly on and then hitting that bar with a ripper of a shot in the 32n d minute, while also coming close with a free kick a minute later. The score remained deadlocked at the break.

Omiya finally opened the scoring with less than ten minutes to go, Aoki sliding home a ball that Rafael served up for the cool finish. Just when it seemed Tosu’s home unbeaten record was in danger, a Fujita long throw bypassed everyone and the unfortunate Hasegawa put the ball in at the far post – own goal, shared points.

Dutra had the chance to open the scoring for the away team in the opening minute, but his weak left shot failed to even find the target after good work from Osako fed the Brazilian on a plate. Jubilo opened the scoring with their first goal attempt of the game, in the 10th minute, Maeda scoring his first goal for seven games on a flicked header from a Baek cross from the right.

Kosuke Yamamoto had the chance to double the lead just after the break but his tame shot was straight at the keeper and it stayed 1-0 until the 84th minute when a Maeda cross met the advancing Matsuura, and he flicked it past the keeper after taking a controlling touch to extend Jubilo’s lead. Hiroki Yamada made it 3-0 and put the game well out of reach in the final minute of regular time and Jubilo beat their rivals at home for the first time in ten years!