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PREVIEW – Kashiwa Reysol v. Sanfrecce Hiroshima – May 6th

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Kashiwa Reysol (P8 W2 D2 L4 GD -2) were on ACL duty in the week so did not play in the J.League. Last time out, last weekend they were held by Sagan Tosu and have now dropped to 15th place (although they do have that game in hand now). Their season has probably been disappointing so far, although all first time entrants into the ACL, if not ALL ACL entrants, seem to have trouble juggling the schedule of two competitions, Reysol being no exception so far this campaign. They will be looking for a home win to appease their unruly fans!

Sanfrecce Hiroshima (P9 W5 D1 L3 GD +7) were probably hoping, if not expecting to be sitting pretty in 2nd place now but went down to Albirex Niigata last time out, surprising everyone. Very much an off day for an inspired 2012 Sanfrecce, under young coach Moriyasu. Hisato Sato is leading by example and must be pushing for a recall to the national team. Expect Reysol to get the backlash from last week’s surprise defeat and for Sanfrecce to come out of this with a point to stop the rot. Except a Draw!

Reysol have three wins, to Sanfrecce’s two, and we have five draws in ten meetings between these two teams. Sanfrecce’s wins came in 2009 and 2004.

Previews

PREVIEW – Cerezo Osaka v. Vissel Kobe – May 6th

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Cerezo Osaka – DF Takahashi expected to be out for at least two more weeks.

Vissel Kobe – A new coach has not yet been announced, the team will play under interim coach Adachi. FW Okubo is on the injury list but REALLY wants to be considered for this game against his old club. FW Tashiro expected to be missing at least two weeks.

Vissel Kobe (P9 W4 D0 L5 GD -3) fired coach Wada before the last game and promply walked all over Omiya Ardija, winning with ease on goals from Ogawa, Lee and Mogi – with his first touch as a substitute, and will be high on that win and hoping that Cerezo bring along their bad side this weekend. The Vissel line-up was registered as 2-7-1 last game which interim coach Adachi said was a psychological thing to get the opposition guessing. He also made changes in personnel, notably giving Kang Jo Park a start. In what could be his last game before a new caoch comes in, ADachi will want to make his mark, so expect 100% effort from this Vissel team.

Cerezo Osaka (P9 W$ D1 L4 GD +2) once again showed how wildly inconsistent they are this season after beating Jubilo Iwata last week then capitulating to give Consadole Sapporo their first win of the season on Thursday. They are just too tough to work out which team will come into this game but the law of averages says their good team! Having said that, I feel the adrenalin of the win last week, and the desire to win for Adachi will give this game to Kobe. Expect a Win for Vissel Kobe!

Vissel have five winds, to Cerezo’s three wins, with two draws over ten games. Vissel won both games by three goals last season!

Previews

PREVIEW – Yokohama F.Marinos v. Consadole Sapporo – May 6th

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No new or major injuries or suspensions for either team to report.

Yokohama F.Marinos (P9 W2 L4 D3 GD -1) won their 2nd game in a row on Thursday – away at Urawa Reds of all places – after a start without a win until last weekend! Some fans were hoping for a new coach by now and the fact that the team have won two games may mean that they do not get a change – many critics feel that a change is needed so the inevitable may only have been postponed by two good results. Marquinos finally made his debut after his unexpected return to the team this season and did what he had to do by scoring a late winner after coming on as a substitute! Many feel that it was not really a case of Marinos playing well last time out, but more a case of Reds playing badly!

Consadole Sapporo (P9 W1 D1 L7 GD -8) finally won their first game of the season last time out against the wildly inconsistent Cerezo Osaka and, while Marinos have won their last two, Sapporo must feel that they have a chance now that they have broken the magic spell over them! The style of play of Marinos will not change unless the coach changes so expect the surge of adrenalin that a win for Consadole gave them to at least help them to a point. Expect a Draw!

Consadole beat Marinos away from home in the Nabisco Cup already this season…. in League play Marinos won both of the only other two games between these teams, back in 2008 in J1.

Previews

PREVIEW – Vegalta Sendai v. Shimizu S-Pulse – May 6th

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Vegalta Sendai – FW Akamine still expected to be unavailable through injury.

Shimizu S-Pulse – MF Alex Brosque and FW Jymmy Franca are available after suspension.

Shimizu S-Pulse (P9 W6 D0 L3 GD +4) sit in a confident 2nd place after destroying a resurgent Kashima Antlers on Thursday, despite being without Brosque and Franca. Another fine goal from Takagi underlined what a strength in youth this team has under coach Afshin Ghotbi, who believes that his team can win the Championship this year. This game will be a huge test for his team as they seek to end Vegalta Sendai’s unbeaten start to the season.

Vegalta Sendai (P9 W7 D2 L0 GD +13) have confounded the critics by remaining unbeaten so far but the same thing happened last season before the team ran out of steam amid some tough challenges. With this visit of the 2nd place team being a tough test to their title credentials expect them to pull out all the stops but, unless all of their players are firing on all cylinders, this could be the end of tht unbeaten run. EXPECT a WIN for SHIMIZU S-PULSE!

S-Pulse have three wins, Vegalta have one, and we have two draws. Vegalta’s only win in this fixture came back in 2003!

In the Mix, Reports

J1 Round-Up, May 3rd, Matchday 9

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J1 Round-Up, May 3rd, Matchday 9

Here are the results:

Consadole Sapporo 1-0 Cerezo Osaka
Vissel Kobe 3-0 Omiya Ardija
Kawasaki Frontale 4-3 Jubilo Iwata
Sanfrecce Hiroshima 0-1 Albirex Niigata
Sagan Tosu 1-1 Vegalta Sendai
Urawa Reds 1-2 Yokohama F. Marinos
Shimizu S-Pulse 3-0 Kashima Antlers

JSoccer.COMment:
Cerezo proved once and for all how inconsistent they are by giving Cosadole Sapporo their first win of the season! Yusuke Kondo scored the winner in the 25th minute and Consadole hold on for the three points.

Vissel Kobe fired coach Wada, put Adachi in charge for a couple of games while they work out finances with Akira Nishino, travel arrangements with Stuart Baxter, or work up enough courage to approach Pep Guardiola! (I also suggested that Michael Laudrup be considered!). The new coach will be happy to know that Vissel played with freedom and confidence and destroyed Omiya Ardija with ease! Goals from Ogawa, lee and Mogi (his first touch) sealed the points for Vissel.

Frontale found their goalscoring touch under new coach Kazama, but almost let Jubilo back into the game late on. Jubilo are being found out after their start seemed better than they deserved? Yajima scored two for Frontale.

Sanfrecce gave Albirex their first win of the season, just when it seemed Sanfrecce would make a run at Sendai on top. Were Sanfrecce bad, or did Albirex finally come good? A bit of both, it seems!

Tosu held unbeaten Vegalta to a draw, just as predicted on this very site in the previews. Is that the beginning of the end for Sendai? Will S-Pulse take them out this weekend and send them on a downward spiral? Watch this space!

Reds gave Marinos an unexpected second win in-a-row on Thursday. Saito scored a lovely goal (does he ever score simple ones!!?), Makino matched his brilliance with one of his own to make it 1-1, but old soldier Marquinos came on as a late sub and confounded us all with the winner!

S-Pulse staked their claim to be title contenders with a 3-0 drubbing of resurgent Antlers. Ito popped one in at close range very early on, then Takagi scored a screamer, and Omae another well taken volley to round out the scoring and send the away team back to Kashima under a cloud.

Note that FC Tokyo v. Kashiwa Reysol and Gamba Osaka v. Nagoya Grampus – postponed die to ACL commitments – will be played on June 27

Previews

Preview – Vissel Kobe v. Omiya Ardija – May 3rd

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Vissel Kobe v. Omiya Ardija – Kobe to Stop the Slide for New Coach!

Vissel Kobe – FW Okubo out for at least six more weeks. MF Haneda out for a month. DF Komoto is back in training.

Vissel Kobe’s (P8 W3 D0 L5 GD -6) win against Kashiwa Reysol two matches back saved coach Wada’s job, temporarily, but the loss to Yokohama F. Marinos last week was the straw that broke the camel’s back and coach Wada was released, with Adachi taking over temporarily while Vissel iron out details with ex-Gamba coach Akira Nishino, if press reports are to be believed. The “new coach syndrome” always helps and Omiya Ardija (P8 W# D2 L3 GD -3) have been inconsistent, even though they have amassed some decent players for this season, especially Cho and Shimohira making a difference to the left side of the team.

It will be interesting to see which players Adachi goes for for Vissel or if a manager is already influencing him behind the scenes before he officially takes over. Whatever happens Vissel will have the home crowd, the adrenalin of a coaching change, EXPECT a WIN for VISSEL KOBE!

Five wins for Omiya, four wins for Kobe and four draws over the years, all in J1.

Previews

PREVIEW – Consadole Sapporo v. Cerezo Osaka – May 3rd

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Cerezo Osaka – DF Takahashi out for at least two more weeks.

Cerezo Osaka (P8 W4 D1 L3 GD +3) showed their good side for most of the game last week going 3-0 up against Jubilo Iwata before it ended 3-2. They are the most inconsistent team ever, it seems but surely they can’t fail against a Consadole Sapporo (P8 W0 D1 L7 GD -9) who have lost seven straight games since their opening day draw.

The youngsters of Cerezo Osaka, led by Kiyotake and Kim still need guidance – hence the inconsistency and, if both of those players move to Europe in the summer transfer window, as has been posited by various parts of the press, Cerezo wil have to rebuild again – something they are getting used to after losing Kagawa, Inui and Ienaga in recent times. But that’s the future, for today EXPECT a WIN for CEREZO OSAKA!

Consadole have four wins to Cerezo’s three wins in seven J2 meetings. There have been no draws between these two teams and this will be their first ever meeting in J1.

Previews

Note that these two games are scheduled for 27th June (Wednesday), allowing for ACL games this week:

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Note that these two games are scheduled for 27th June (Wednesday), allowing for ACL games this week:
FC Tokyo v Kashiwa Reysol
Gamba Osaka v. Nagoya Grampus

以下の２試合は、今週のACLゲームのため、６月27日（水）に予定されている。
ＦＣ東京 vs. 柏レイソル
ガンバ大阪 vs. 名古屋グランパス

Previews

PREVIEW – Urawa Reds v. Yokohama F. Marinos – May 3rd

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Reds Too Strong For Marinos!

Team News
Urawa Reds – Naoki Yamada is a long-term injury absentee
Yomokaha F.Marinos – Tomisawa is suspended. DF Amano is a long term absentee through injury. Marquinos in training but will not be match fit even if available.

Match Preview
Last time out both teams were successful and both need wins to keep up the momentum gaimed. Urawa Reds (P8 W5 D1 L2 GD +4) line up in equal 2nd place on goal difference after two seasons of struggle and a win here would keep them in touch with leqders Sendai. Coach Petrovic’s three back system has been picked up quickly by the players and it now seems that key player Yuki Abe has settled at defensive midfield after being tried atnentre back. The re-emergence of Tsuboi in the back three has helped that choice.
Yokohama F.Marinos (P8 W1 D4 L3 GD -2) finally won their first game of the season last time out, against Vissel Kobe, with three goals in a seven minute spell. The fnishing was good, but the msrking was suddenly slack and, while a win will do the team wonders, there was little changed in their perfromance, some fans might well have been disappointed that the win meant that their coach was not fired, as must be being considered, even now. Perhaps a delay of the inevitable, as they will struggle to come out of this game with anything.
EXPECT a WIN for URAWA REDS!

Head to Head
Ten wins for Reds, nine for Marinos and five draws in 24 J1 and Nabisco Cup meetings. Both 2011 meetings were away wins.

Previews

PREVIEW – Shimizu S-Pulse v. Kashima Antlers – May 3rd

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S-Pulse to Stop Antlers Revival!

Team News
Shimizu S-Pulse – Alex Brosque and Jymmy Franca are suspended.

Match Preview
Eight yellow cards and two reds last time out and Shimizu S-Pulse (P8 W5 D0 L3 GD +1) still managed to take maximum points from FC Tokyo. Today they will be missing Franca, no big loss, and Alex Brosque – a bigger blow to be sure. Supersubs from the nine-man win over Tokyo, Takahara and Takagi may be called on to start this time and S-Pulse will be hoping to continue their fine run against a Kashima Antlers (P8 W3 D1 L4 GD +1) who have now won three games in a row after a dire start.
The mix of youngsters and experienced players is beginning t blend well for Shimizu, although Shinji Ono still appears to be carrying an injury and will be hard-pressed to comlete a full game.
Kashima scored five against Gamba Osaka in their last game, although they had big help from a dire defence and goalkeeper, but the likes of Koroki and Osako will be brimming with confidence after getting on the scoresheet, after a bad start fr the team as a whole. Influential midfielder Endo, who outplayed his famous namesake in the Gamba midfield last game, is living up to potential shown over the las few years and will be a key player for the team as the older heads like Motoyama and even Ogasawara gradually fade away and are replaced by the new generation.
Despite being weakened through players carrying injuries, and suspensions, EXPECT a WIN for SHIMIZU S-PULSE!

Head to Head
Ten wins for Kashima, four for Shimizu and eight draws over the years. Kashima won last time out but the four before that produced three of those eight draws.