Kashima Antlers 0-1 Albirex Niigata
Endo hit the post from distance and Juninho followed up with a header that went wide when it was easier to score!
Albirex got what turned out to be the winner on a 38th minute counter attack that began with a quick thinking roll out from keeper Higashiguchi to Bruno Lopes, he fed Michel who rounded the keeper and chipped the ball home!
Juninho missed another easy chance just after the half as Niigata got a vital win in their fight against relegation.
Sanfrecce Hiroshima 0-1 FC Tokyo
Sanfrecce were beaten at home for the second successive game – the curse of the top spot – while FC Tokyo ended a dire run to ensure they didn’t drop into the relegation scrap. A 49th minute goal for no.49 – Lucas – gave the capital team maximum points for the first time since.. a long time ago! With wins for Reds and Vegalta, too, the top of J1 closed up again!
Omiya Ardija 1-3 Vegalta Sendai
Omiya took the lead in the 25th minute through Yu Hasegawa’s long range half volley but the away team equalised through Wilson just before the break and the tide turned in the 2nd half and Vegalta ran out worthy winners on goals from Kamata and Matsushita.
Kashiwa Reysol 0-3 Jubilo Iwata
Yamada opened the scoring for Jubilo as early as the 5th minute, before Kondo saw red for the home team for a studs-up challenge over the top of the ball – it was a dangerous challenge, and a justified red card and the player could have had no complaints, even though it was doubtful that there was any malice aforethought.
Komano added a 2nd with a deflected free kick before the half hour was up and Maeda completed the scoring in the 78th minute to give Jubilo the points.
Shimizu S-Pulse 0-2 Urawa Reds
An injury and suspension depleted S-Pulse defence couldn’t hold off Reds, with Umesaki scoring a textbook half volley before earning a dubious PK for Abe to dispatch and it was 2-0 to Urawa before half time. The home team got more into the game in the 2nd half, coming close through a superb Takagi free kick that forced a fine save. Reds close the gap on the top spot, S-Pulse’s revival comes to a temporary halt.
Photo from afshinghotbi.com
Cerezo Osaka 2-0 Yokohama F,Marinos
A deserved win for Cerezo, as predicted in these very pages, of course, which ended Marinos superb run of 16 games without defeat. The opening goal came just after the hour mark from the left foot of Yamaguchi, before a mis-placed Saito pass put Kakitani through on goal and he made no mistake and the points were in the bag!
Kawasaki Frontale 0-1 Nagoya Grampus
For Nagoya, Tamada was back in the starting line-up in front, but they were missing Masukawa and Daniel through suspension, and Danilson through injury, so Tulio reverted to his centre back role.
Gamba Osaka 7-2 Consadole Sapporo
Gamba continued their rise to safety with a seven goal haul against hapless bottom club Consadole. A hat trick for Leandro, two for Sato, one for the returning nero enaga and a comical own goal sums up the scoring for the home team. Of course, Gamba didn’t keep a clean sheet, goals from Hidaka and Uehara and punctating the Gamba goals against the tide of ablut 25 goal attempts to 4 in favour of Gamba Osaka.
Vissel Kobe 0-0 Sagan Tosu
An uneventful game, Tosu came closest when Tashiro headed against his own post clearing from a corner, and Toyoda hit the Vissel bar late in the game, while Vissel had the ball in the net from a Tokura header, but the referee disaalowed it for a foul on the keeper.