Here’s how JapanFooty saw J1 Matchday 30
Original at http://www.japanfooty.com/apps/blog/entries/show/19599640-zlat-ll-do-nicely-
Matchday 30 of J.League Division 1 saw more draws than a Clint Eastwood epic, with only three of the nine games played resulting in three points being awarded. Sanfrecce Hiroshima and Vegalta Sendai remain deadlocked at the top of the table after 1-1 draws away to Gamba Osaka and Jubilo Iwata respectively, while at the bottom end of the table Slovenian forward Zlatan Ljubijankic netted a stunning hat-trick to help boost Omiya Ardija’s survival hopes in a monster 4-1 win away to Kashiwa Reysol.
Vegalta Sendai found themselves frustrated at the Yamaha Stadium against Jubilo Iwata. Ryang Yong-Gi, Wilson and Shingo Akamine all went close for the visitors, but Jubilo also had several chances and Vegalta ‘keeper Takuto Hayashi was again forced to produce a number of top drawer saves before Akamine finally opened the scoring in the 77th minute with a simple tap-in from a Naoki Sugai square ball across the six-yard box. Jubilo battled back however, and were able to draw level with what seemed an almost perfect replica of the Sendai goal when Hiroki Yamada’s low cross went through several Vegalta defenders and found substitute Kosuke Yamamoto at the back post.
Sanfrecce Hiroshima were also unable to find the desired win on their trip to face Gamba Osaka. Japan legend Yasuhito Endo was unlucky not to open the scoring for the home side in the first half with a looping shot headed off the line by Sanfrecce’s Hiroki Mizumoto. The midfield ace got sweet revenge in the second half when an amazing piece of trickery saw Mizumoto and team-mate Ryota Moriwaki crashing into each other as the Japan star dribbled past them to fire Gamba into the lead. While Endo was the hero of the day for Gamba, fellow Japan international Yasuyuki Konno was the villain after a poor clearance delivered the ball directly into the path of Kazuyuki Morisaki who graciously fired Sanfrecce level. Sanfrecce and Sendai both have 55 points, with Sanfrecce edging the lead on goal difference.
Urawa Reds were unable to take advantage of the top two dropping points, as they drew 0-0 with Cerezo Osaka at the Satiama Stadium. A frustrating day for Reds fans saw Marcio Richardes hit the post and Yosuke Kashiwagi had a goal rightfully calked off for offside. While Cerezo have not lost in their last five league games and are looking increasingly likely to avoid relegation, Reds title hopes now hang by a thread after have not won a poor run of form. Mihailo Petrovic’s side have failed to win a home league game since their 2-1 victory over Kashima Antlers in mid-August, and find themselves six points off the leaders in third, with a total of 49 and only four more games remaining.
Shimizu S-Pulse moved up to fourth place and within a point of Urawa Reds with a 2-1 win over Kashima Antlers in a dress rehearsal of next weekend’s Nabisco Cup final. Kim Hyung-Sung opened the scorer for visiting S-Pulse with a spectacular turn and shot on the edge of the six-yard box before Antlers’ Daiki Iwamasa leveled from a corner on the 44th minute. An almost instant reply from Genki Omae, who has now scored seven goals in his last nine games in all competitions, gave the visiting S-Pulse a priceless three points in their push for ACL qualification. Meanwhile, Antlers are still not entirely safe from relegation, with a total of 38 points in 13th place.
Nagoya Grampus moved up to fifth place on 46 points after a 1-1 draw at home to Yokohama F. Marinos. Nagoya seemed to have had done enough to secure the three points when Keiji Tamada netted in the 87th minute, but former Celtic star Shunsuke Nakamura delivered a punishing trademark free-kick in the 95th minute to leave coach Dragan Stoijkovic once again struggling to contain his anger. Marinos are now seventh on 44 points, ahead of Sagan Tosu and FC Tokyo on goal difference.
Omiya Ardija were the day’s big winners in more ways than one, with a stunning 4-1 victory over reigning champions Kashiwa Reysol at the Hitachi Stadium. A Daigo Watanabe flick on found summer signing Zlatan Ljubijankic to open the scoring with a powerful shot that beat Reysol ‘keeper Takanori Sugeno on his near post on the 21st minute. Shortly after half-time Watanabe again found the Slovenian forward, allowing him to drag Sugeno out of his goal, going round the outside of him and slotting home from a tight angle to make it 2-0 to Omiya. Ljubijankic completed his hat-trick on the 49th minute with a shot that bounced in off the inside of the far post, after Watanabe threaded another through ball into his path. The Slovenian was later able to return the favor with a neat through pass of his own to allow Watanabe to add a fourth goal on the 79th minute, leaving Reysol with no way back. A long-range strike from Neto Baiano in the final stages of the game held little significance for the disgruntled home support, which had seen their side well and truly torn apart. While Reysol are now in sixth place on 45 points, 15th placed Omiya are now three points clear of the relegation zone with a total of 36.
While Omiya’s win makes life look increasingly difficult for Gamba Osaka in 16th place on 33 points, Albirex Niigata now appear to have a mammoth task in front of them if they are to avoid joining the already relegated Consadole Sapporo in next year’s J2. A 2-0 home defeat to Sagan Tosu leaves them five points behind Omiya in 17th with a total of 31. Two goals from Yohei Toyoda gave the visitors their first win on the road since their victory over Kawasaki Frontale on August 11, as Albirex failed to find the net for the fourteenth time this campaign.
Vissel Kobe gained what could be a vital point in their home tie against Kawasaki Frontale. A spectacular long-range effort from Renato gave Frontale a first-half lead before Ken Tokura pounced on some defensive hesitancy to prod home an equalizer for the home side in the 56th minute. Frontale again took the lead with goals from Yu Kobayashi and Jumpei Kusukami to make it 3-1 to the visitors, but a spirited fight-back saw Kobe’s Yuzo Tashiro claw one back before Tokura headed home to make it 3-3 on the 82nd minute. Vissel have not won in their last eight league outings, and are now at serious risk of slipping into the relegation zone. They are currently in 14th place, ahead of Omiya on goal difference alone. Meanwhile, Frontale are in 12th place on 40 points, behind Cerezo Osaka on goal difference.
In the only other match of the day, FC Tokyo dismissed any notion that they would become the latest club to fall foul of a post-relegation confirmation burst of form from Consadole Sapporo by systematically dismantling the Hokkaido side in an impressive 5-0 demolition. Naoki Ishikawa put in a stunning performance for the home side, netting two goals in the process, with Hyun Soo-Jang, Sotan Tanabe and Nemanja Vucicevic also getting on the scoresheet. Tokyo are now in ninth on 44 points, one point ahead of Jubilo Iwata in tenth, but, amazingly, only five points behind Urawa in third.
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