Haven’t looked at top scorers for a while, so here’s an update with just a few games to go. It’s notable that no one player is running away with it this season, but plenty of players on 7, 8, 9 goals – nice to see the workload being shared! And plenty of Japanese players scoring – excellent!19 goals – Yohei TOYODA Sagan Tosu (1 PK)16 goals – Takuma ABE Tokyo Verdy (1 PK)13 goals – Masaki FUKAI JEF United Chiba (4 PKs scored, 1 missed)11 goals – RICARDO LOBO Tochigi SC (1 PK), Manabu SAITO Ehime FC (1 PK)9 goals – ROBERTO CESAR F.C.Tokyo (3 of 4 PKs scored), KAIO Yokohama FC (2 PKs), Teruaki KUROBE Kataller Toyama (2 PKs), Yuya KUBO Kyoto Sanga F.C., Noriaki SANENOBU Gainare Tottori (4 PKs), Akihiro SATO Tokushima Vortis, Ryota HAYASAKA Sagan Tosu

FC Tokyo are all but promoted.Sagan Tosu would have to mess up BIG time not to make it.Tokushima and Sapporo set to fight it out for final place in J1 for 2012!?Verdy and JEF in J2 for another season? Well, nothing is impossible but….!1 F.C.Tokyo 68 +392 Sagan Tosu 64 +323 Tokushima Vortis 59 +154 Consadole Sapporo 59 +135 Tokyo Verdy 52 +236 JEF United Chiba 52 +7

Top of J1 – no change at the top1 Kashiwa Reysol 65 +202 Gamba Osaka 63 +243 Nagoya Grampus 62 +264 Yokohama F･Marinos 55 +105 Vegalta Sendai 52 +13The drop zone to J1, Reds and Kofu to battle it out to (NOT) join Montedio and Avispa, who are already down.12 Kawasaki Frontale 38 -413 Albirex Niigata 38 -414 Omiya Ardija 38 -1015 Urawa Reds 32 -616 Ventforet Kofu 30 -2117 Montedio Yamagata 21 -3118 Avispa Fukuoka 19 -39

Reysol boost goal difference, Gamba efficient against Kashima, Nagoya take out Cerezo, and, in 4th, Yokohama make late comeback to keep Kofu in the drop zone.Reds humiliated at home (but Kofu lose, also)… Omiya pull further away. Vissel send Montedio down.Kashiwa Reysol 4-0 Albirex Niigata Kashiwa 10,623Gamba Osaka 1-0 Kashima Antlers Expo’70 20,991Kawasaki Frontale 0-1 Omiya Ardija Todoroki 17,556Nagoya Grampus 3-1 Cerezo Osaka Toyota.S 23,677Ventforet Kofu 1-2 Yokohama F･Marinos Yamanashibank.S 15,315Vissel Kobe 2-0 Montedio Yamagata HOME’S 11,420Vegalta Sendai 0-0 Sanfrecce Hiroshima Yurtec.S 17,215Urawa Reds 0-3 Jubilo Iwata Saitama.S 34,263Avispa Fukuoka 2-2 Shimizu S-Pulse

Gamba Osaka went into this match knowing they had to win, and keep inning, while hoping for a slip-up by Kashiwa Reysol in the remaining games. Today, Takei was at right back, while Kaji was hoping for a return from the bench after his recent injury. At left back, Fujihara was preferred to Shimohira. Midfield also saw some different selections in SY Kim and Sasaki getting the starting nod. Hashimoto was on the bench, and Futagawa suspended. Afonso, Kawanishi and Otsuka were the attacking options on a decent bench for Gamba.The game started well with both teams getting shots in on the goal, Sasaki having a great half volley change as Lee headed the ball down to him. The diminutive midfielders 25 harder was well over, though, not doing justice to the move that preceded it. There was a similar result when Rafinha made a superb reverse pass to Lee, doling the defenders but Lee’s shot was wide from close range and the teams went in at half time with 12 goal attempts between them but nothing that had challenged either keeper, although Osako had rattled the post from 20 yards with a curler earlier in the half.Kaji did indeed make his return from the bench today, replacing Kim for the start of the second period, with Takei shuffling into midfield and Kaji slipping into his favored right back role.Early in the 2nd half the away team angered fans as the referee missed a foul on Yamaguchi, who didn’t get up from the challenge near the half way line Antlers played on, unsportingly, but no rule against it, and Felipe Gabriel got in a shot that was comfortably held by Gamba keeper Fujigaya.The noise level of the crowd rose in the 54th minute as Masuda knocked down Rafinha for a free kick in Endo territory, although it was Sasaki who tested the keeper in his top left corner. But Gamba took the lead moments later as a quick throw from Fujigaya after a corner found Myojin on the right. The captain passed to Takei, who slipped it across field to Fujihara on the left wing. The full back advanced into the area and sent a short curling cross to Rafinha who headed home from close range totally unmarked on the edge of the six yard box.Kashima brought on the not too shabby subs of Ogasawara and Endo on 65 minutes to try and inject some life into their faltering team, while Gamba coach Nishino held off on more changes at his usual 65 minutes mark, as Gamba were still making passes count and creating openings. Indeed, in the 72nd minute Lee really should have scored as he got on the end of a Sasaki free kick at point blank range, but his touch took it around the post with the defense standing watching.Nishi made it harder for his team when he picked up two yellow cards within minutes, the 2nd a totally unnecessary tugging back of Takei, after the Antlers full back had lost out in a challenge on the wing, and so it was Antlers down to ten men for the final 15 minutes. In that time Hashimoto replaced Sasaki on 87 minutes and Afonso got a cameo in place of Lee, as Gamba held on for an important win to stay within touch of a Championship, and within just one point of a confirmed ACL place.Gamba Osaka – Fujigaya, Takei, Nakazawa, Yamaguchi, Fujiharu, Endo, Myojin, SY Kim (Kaji, 46), Sasaki (Hashimoto, 87), Lee (Afonso 89), Rafinha

… Kiyotake returns, but is he match fit!? Uchida also back, but doubts about Nagatomo’s fitness after this selection made?!Goalkeepers: Eiji Kawashima (Lierse), Kaito Yamamoto (Shimizu S-Pulse), Shusaku Nishikawa (Sanfrecce Hiroshima). Defenders: Atsuto Uchida (Schalke 04), Yuichi Komano (Jubilo Iwata), Yasuyuki Konno (FC Tokyo), Yuzo Kurihara (Yokohama F Marinos), Masahiko Inoha (Hajduk Split), Yuto Nagatomo (Inter Milan), Tomoaki Makino (Cologne), Maya Yoshida (VVV Venlo). Midfielders: Makoto Hasebe (Wolfsburg), Yasuhito Endo (Gamba Osaka), Kengo Nakamura (Kawasaki Frontale), Yuki Abe (Leicester City), Hajime Hosogai (Augsburg). Forwards: Hiroshi Kiyotake (Cerezo Osaka), Ryoichi Maeda (Jubilo Iwata), Tadanari Lee (Sanfrecce Hiroshima), Shinji Okazaki (Stuttgart), Mike Havenaar (194 cm / Ventforet Kofu), Shinji Kagawa (Borussia Dortmund), Genki Haraguchi (Urawa Reds).

By all accounts the Nabisco Cup Final was a Snorefest …. Naoki Yamada got himself sent off, too Hope he doesn’t blame himself for the defeat, which came on a lone goal in extra time from Osako, for Kashima Antlers.Now, just don’t allow Antlers to add another star to their shirt, please! Stars for Championships only!!

It’s Kashima Antlers v. Urawa Reds as both try to get something from a disappointing season. Yes, in Reds’ case, way more than disappointing.Should be a good game!

2nd Issue of #JSoccerMagazine arrived from printer! Ready to ship – buy yours NOW!Mail alan@jsoccer.com or see ebay link: http://www.ebay.com/itm/NEW-2nd-ISSUE-JAPAN-J-League-ENGLISH-JSoccer-Magazine-Freddie-Ljungberg-Brosque-/190590370470There will be a link on the right very soon, also.Thank you for your support!Alan

Nice to see some “Japanese” in the top scorers this year! You see, technically 194cmHavenaarMike and Tadanari Lee ARE Japanese. And then, the likes of Akamine, Tamada, Tashiro and Tanaka are showing nicely. And, let’s not forget, Kennedy has SIX PKs in that total. NOT trying to diss Kennedy but note that finally some Japanese strikers are getting in on the act – excellent!16 goals – 194cm Mike HAVENAAR Ventforet Kofu (1 PK), Josh KENNEDY Nagoya Grampus (6 PKs)14 goals – Tadanari LEE Sanfrecce Hiroshima (2 PKs)13 goals – Keiji TAMADA Nagoya Grampus12 goals – LEE Keun Ho Gamba Osaka, Shingo AKAMINE Vegalta Sendai, Yuzo TASHIRO Kashima Antlers, Junya TANAKA Kashiwa Reysol, BRUNO LOPES Albirex Niigata (2 PKs)11 goals – LEANDRO DOMINGUES Kashiwa Reysol, Yu KOBAYASHI Kawasaki Frontale, Ryoichi MAEDA Jubilo Iwata (1 PK – 2 missed!)