1 F.C.Tokyo 74 +452 Sagan Tosu 65 +313 Tokushima Vortis 65 +174 Consadole Sapporo 62 +14FC Tokyo go up as champions… three teams fighting for two places with two games to go.Next weekend:Shonan v. SapporoTokushima v. Tosu3rd December, 12.30 kick-offs, before the J1 kick-offs at 15.30. Sapporo vs F-TokyoOkayama vs TokushimaTosu vs KumamotoYou have to fancy Tosu and Tokushima for the promotion spots now?!

Here’s how it stands at the top of J1 with two games to go:1 Kashiwa Reysol 68 32 22 2 8 61 40 +212 Nagoya Grampus 65 32 19 8 5 63 36 +273 Gamba Osaka 64 32 19 7 6 74 50 +244 Yokohama F.Marinos 55 32 16 7 9 45 36 +95 Vegalta Sendai 53 32 13 14 5 37 24 +13The penultimate games for the title-chasing teams are:Kashiwa Reysol v. Cerezo OsakaNagoya Grampus v. Montedio YamagataGamba Osaka v. Vegalta Sendai … and final games, on December 3rd (all kick-off 15.30) are:Urawa Reds v. Kashiwa ReysolAlbirex Niigata v. Nagoya GrampusShimizu S-Pulse v. Gamba OsakaRemember 2005, Konno scores!!!

1 Kashiwa Reysol 68 32 22 2 8 61 40 +212 Nagoya Grampus 65 32 19 8 5 63 36 +273 Gamba Osaka 64 32 19 7 6 74 50 +244 Yokohama F.Marinos 55 32 16 7 9 45 36 +95 Vegalta Sendai 53 32 13 14 5 37 24 +13The penultimate games for the title-chasing teams are:Kashiwa Reysol v. Cerezo OsakaNagoya Grampus v. Montedio YamagataGamba Osaka v. Vegalta Sendai … and final games, on December 3rd (all kick-off 15.30) are:Urawa Reds v. Kashiwa ReysolAlbirex Niigata v. Nagoya GrampusShimizu S-Pulse v. Gamba OsakaRemember 2005, Konno scores!!!

Yokohama F.Marinos 1-2 Nagoya GrampusShimizu S-Pulse 1-2 Kashiwa ReysolThose three results leave Reysol clear at the top with two games to go…. Nagoya 2nd, Gamba 3rd. But, remember, anything can happen in J.League. Here’s my report on the Gamba match.

#JSoccerMagazine 第二号好評発売中！！日本国内は送料込み８００円！

http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2011/nov/11/misaaki-toma-fa-cup-referee-brentfordCan only be good for the game. Hope he enjoys it, learns something too. I have spoken to him in English before, so he will be able to understand the insults thrown at him, also!

Last 16 games in Emperor’s Cup … match-up of the day? Marinos v Yamaga – Matsuda’s two teams up against each other – wow! Fate!Nagoya Grampus v Kashiwa ReysolKashima Antlers v Kyoto SangaKawasaki Frontale v. Shonan BellmareMito HollyHock v FC TokyoEhime FC v Urawa RedsCerezo Osaka v. Vegalta SendaiShimizu S-Pulse v. JEF UnitedYokohama F.Marinos v. Matsumoto YamagaAt least one J2 team (from Mito v FCT) in last eight then!

SEVEN teams in the last 16 of the Emperor’s Cup 2011 are from outside J1! Congratulations, especially, to Matsumoto Yamaga (spurred on by the spirit of Naoki Matsuda, no doubt) who beat Niigata to represent the JFL in the final 16 this year.Fukuoka Univ. 0-3 Bellmare (J2)Gamba 2-3 Mito (J2)FC Tokyo (J2) 2-3 VisselKashima 2-1 Toyama (those four games after extra time)Jubilo 0-1 JEF (J2)Hiroshima 0-1 Ehime (J2)Reysol 6-1 KofuReds 2-1 VerdyMarinos 3-0 TochigiNagoya 1-0 KitakyushuYamagata 2-3 Kyoto Sanga (J2)Frontale 4-0 TrinitaS-Pulse 5-0 GainareCerezo 3-0 FagianoVegalta 3-1 AvispaAlbirex 0-1 Matsumoto Yamaga (JFL)

Did you know? North Korea are the new Unofficial Football World Champions, after Japan held the title for a decent 16 unbeaten matches. Meanwhile, the North Korean nation probably don’t realise they hold the title as their Internet access is probably quite limited!The Japan game itself was broadcast on North Korean TV well after the fact, on delay, and the Japanese national anthem was edited out of the TV broadcast – shame – quite impressive booing and shrieking accompanied the live rendition before the game.Around 1 million homes have TVs in the North, but no estimate made as to how many people watched on each TV – it was probably obligatory to watch the game, though, somehow!Apparently the TV and newspapers have not mentioned the fact that the team has actually been knocked out of qualifying for Brazil 2014!!!As for the Japanese team (and fans) – it apparently is a relief to just get out of the country safely, and the result was not deemed important, at all, in the final scheme of things.

A full round of cup games tomorrow night to ease us back into the J.League at the weekend. Down to 32 teams.13.00 kick offYokohama F. Marinos v Tochigi S.C. – Mitsuzawa19.00 kick offNagoya Grampus v Giravanz Kitakyushu – MizuhoKashiwa Reysol v Ventforet Kofu – HitachiAlbirex Niigata v Matsumoto Yamaga – Big SwanKashima Antlers v Kataller Toyama – KashimaMontedio Yamagata v Kyoto Sanga – ND SoftKawasaki Frontale v Oita Trinita – TodorokiFukuoka University v Shonan Bellmare – NACK5 (Omiya)Gamba Osaka v Mito HollyHock – BanpakuF.C. Tokyo v Vissel Kobe – AjinomotoSanfrecce Hiroshima v Ehime F.C. – Big ArchUrawa Reds v Tokyo Verdy – SaitamaCerezo Osaka v Fagiano Okayama – KinchoVegalta Sendai v Avispa Fukuoka – YurtecShimizu S-Pulse v Gainare Tottori – NihondairaJ