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 ….