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Elsewhere in Group A, Matsumoto Yamaga took maximum points in a 3-1 away win at Ventforet Kofu. After Takuma Abe had opened the scoring for the home side, Tatsuya Sakai scored his first-ever goal in Japanese football for Yamaga. And then he scored again! Naoki Maeda scored the away team’s other goal.

In the final match in the group – FC Tokyo had the night off in the seven team initial stage – Albirex Niigata triumphed over Sagan Tosu on the only goal of the game from Ryohei Yamazaki.

In Group B, Nagoya Grampus took the lead three times over Montedio Yamagata – on goals from Akira Takeuchi, Asahi Yada and Milivoje Novakovic – but each time the home team pulled level. The final goal in this six-goal thriller came from Hiroki Bandai’s header in the 92nd minute. Grampus stay top of the group, three points clear of Vissel Kobe who have a game in hand on the leaders. Vissel were held to a 0-0 draw at Vegalta Sendai.

Group B’s other match produced a 2-0 away win for Kawasaki Frontale over Shimizu S-Pulse. Goals from Kentaro Moriya and Elsinho gave Frontale their first points of the Nabisco campaign.

The next Nabisco Cup matches take place on April 22nd.

A traumatic second half of last season saw Shimizu S-Pulse cling to their continuing top flight status only on the final day. It was debutante manager Katsumi Oenoki who suffered a torrid six months in the hot seat having taken over following Afshin Ghotbi’s midsummer sacking.
Aside from a 1-0 defeat of 2014’s disaster show Tokushima Vortis, it took Oenoki nine games to find a victory. Even after 17 attempts the new boss never properly stemmed the avalanche of goals cascading through his beleaguered back four, and by the end of the season Shimizu’s goal difference was saved from being the worst in the division only by the pitiful Tokushima.
Perhaps the only difference between J1 and J2 football this year was the eventual admission that attempts at blooding a number of youngsters were, while laudable, poorly timed and too big of an ask. It is likely with this in mind that Taisuke Muramatsu and Takuma Edamura were recalled from loans. Both former regular starters at Nihondaira, their combined experience will contribute towards the foundation upon which Oenoki can build his vision. Muramatsu’s return in particular, coupled with the retention of Calvin Jong-a-Pin and Jakovic, will be expected to shore up what last year was often an alarmingly permeable back line.
A midfield of Edamura and Takuya Honda may not necessarily set any imaginations alight, but should prove a solid enough basis to work with.
After Novakovic’s departure it was feared that Genki Omae would have to take on forward duties but, following additions to the front line, the ex-Dusseldorf player will be able to assume his preferred role roaming behind the front two. Incoming strikers Mitchell Duke from Australia and Nigerian Peter Utaka offer hope that Novakovic’s absence won’t be felt too strongly, if at all.
So with an intriguing though unproven attack, a defence and midfield having seen meagre improvement, we can perhaps best expect a season not dissimilar to 2014. There exists a concrete foundation, but the biggest question mark remains over whether Oenoki can successfully marshal his defence. If so, there is enough talent elsewhere to see a comfortable spell of mid-table obscurity. After last year’s struggles, supporters may be willing to accept a period of consolidation, and this is where J1’s new format could prove of benefit to the rookie manager. Knowing that entry to the championship knockout is open to anyone who can string a run
together, a wobbly first stage can be forgiven under the guise of perfecting the team ahead of an assault on phase two. Most likely though, multi-stage or not, Shimizu are unlikely to trouble any trophy engravers in 2015. That goal has to form part of Oenoki’s longer-term plan, of which this season is just step one.

 FC Gifu MINAMO

Giravanz Kitakyushu GIRAN

Mito HollyHock HOLLY-kun

Fagiano Okayama FAGI-MARU

Jubilo Iwata JUBILO-kun

Ehime FC IYOKANTA

Kyoto Sanga PURSA-kun

Yokohama FC FULIE MARU

J.League Mascot – Mr. PITCH!

 JEF United JEFFY

Thespakusatsu Gunma YUUTO

Kashiwa Reysol Rey-kun

Roasso Kumamoto ROASSO-kun

Omiya Ardija ARDY

Shonan Bellmare KING BELL I

Cerezo Osaka ROBI

Zweigen Kanazawa GENJI

Tokushima Vortis VORTA-kun

Albirex Niigata ALBI-kun

Urawa Reds REDIA

Tochigi SC TOKKY

Kashima Antlers SHIKAO

Tokyo Verdy VERDY-kun

Sagan Tosu WINTOSU

Shimizu S-Pulse PUL-chan

Avispa Fukuoka AVI-kun

Oita Trinita NEETAN

Vissel Kobe MOVI

Gamba Osaka GAMBA BOY

FC Tokyo TOKYO DOROMPA

Nagoya Grampus GRAMPUS-kun

Yokohama F•Marinos MARINOSUKE

Ventforet Kofu VAN-kun

Matsumoto Yamaga GANS-kun

Kawasaki Frontale FRONTA

 Vegalta Sendai VEGATTA

V-Varen Nagasaki VIVI-kun

Montedio Yamagata DIIO

NUMBER 1!!  Sanfrecce Hiroshima SANCCE

And why the cover? Of a player that hardly kicked a ball this year due to injury? A player who is not a star by any means? A player who is actually wearing the 20134 season shirt?

Well … why not!!? What a great picture it is! Of a true professional who will – next season – hit an age that is the same as the number he is wearing … and he plays for the team that is our main (or, hey, COVER) story… and, if, and that’s IF he announces retirement – – a fitting tribute indeedf

Yukio Tsuchiya – sterling service to Ventforet Kofu, Tokyo Verdy, Omiya Ardija, Kashiwa Reysol and Vissel Kobe.

Thank you !

Matsumoto Yamaga – debut J1 season

 FC Gifu Home

Shimizu S-Pulse Home (Orange) Away (White)

Vegalta Sendai Home

Kawasaki Frontale

Urawa Reds (home – rumoured)

Yokohama F•Marinos v Ventforet Kofu
Sanfrecce Hiroshima v Vissel Kobe
FC Tokyo v Kashiwa Reysol
Gamba Osaka v Sagan Tosu
Omiya Ardija v Shimizu S-Pulse
Cerezo Osaka v Urawa Reds
Kawasaki Frontale v Vegalta Sendai
Tokushima Vortis v Kashima Antlers
Nagoya Grampus v Albirex Niigata

J2
Sunday – September 28th

Roasso Kumamoto v Giravanz Kitakyushu
Oita Trinita v V-Varen Nagasaki
Fagiano Okayama v Mito Hollyhock
Kataller Toyama v Avispa Fukuoka
Matsumoto Yamaga v Consadole Sapporo
Jubilo Iwata v Ehime FC
Montedio Yamagata v Kamatamare Sanuki
Thespakusatsu Gunma v Tochigi SC
Kyoto Sanga v Yokohama FC
JEF United Chiba v Tokyo Verdy
Shonan Bellmare v FC Gifu

天皇杯 準々決勝組み合わせ ガンバ v アルディージャ / セレッソ v ジェフ/ グランパス v エスパルス モンテディオ v ギラヴァンツ

Head to Head – 9 wins for S-Pulse, 4 for Ardija, and 5 draws since 2005.

Match Preview – Omiya Ardija have put a superb run together and are now safe in J1 for another season of struggle in 2013 – or are they? Will they finally improve next season or will they mess it up, again? Survive, and shoot themselves in the foot! Many fans feel that the biggest improvement has been Komoto at centre back and, if all is well he will hold off the S-Pulse attack today, while the likes of Cho and Higashi finally live up to their potential! Another win against S-Pulse and the team can go out on a high for the season – unbeaten since two defeats to Sanfrecce and Vegalta way back in August – and try to build on that.

Shimizu S-Pulse’s youngsters have buckled since the Nabisco Cup final defeat and seem to have given up the ghost going on recent results. Having said that, coach Afshin Ghotbi stated that their performance in the defeat to Kawasaki Frontale last weekend was one of their best in a long time but, nevertheless they have gone down to three league defeats in a row and are ending their season on a down. If the team stay together there will a decent season to look forward to but, for now, the team may well have their focus on the Emperor’s Cup? EXPECT a DRAW!