Vissel started brightly and pressured the Nagoya defence looking for mistake and, indeed, Yoshida made Tulio look average on the left wing, forcing the clumsy defender to rugby tackle the Vissel forward to the ground before he got into the area.
Incredibly – for a referee who gave eight yellow cards and two reds to Shimizu S-Pulse two weeks ago – referee Mr. Nishimura did not even produce a yellow card for what could easily have warranted a red, and it was at the other end in the 8th minute that Nozawa completely mis-kicked what seemed an easy clearance and Fujimoto had a free shot which he saw saved high up in the corner buy Tokushige in the Vissel goal. The home keeper also got his hand to Kennedy’s follow-up shot to keep the scores level.

Nagai tried to chip one into the far corner in the 16th minute but, again Tokushige earned his salary with another one-handed save. Ogawa forced a save from Grampus keeper Narazaki in the 28th minute, while Park hit the post with a 25 yarder that rebounded out to Ogawa. The youngster slipped it back to Nozawa and his cross found Yoshida who saw his header tipped over the bar. Minutes before half time Kennedy pulled a low cross back from the byeline and Tamada got a foot to it and the ball sneaked in between Tokushige and Vissel centre back Kitamoto for a fortunate opening goal against the run of play.

Vissel pushed for the equaliser and it was Okubo, on as a sub, who robbed a dithering defender and advanced on Narazaki but the Japan national team forward saw his shot sneak past the keeper AND the post and Vissel were not to make it three wins in-a-row from interim coach Adachi.

Genki Haraguchi made his first start for nine games as the single forward in a 3-2-4-1 line-up, but it was Marcio Richardes who made light work of an 11th minute Makino pass from the left touchline to slot the opening goal home. Just before the half hour Albirex were level as Bruno Lopes volleyed home a loose ball for the equaliser. Both teams went looking for the winner but chances for both teams were either denied by desperate defensive tackles, or less than perfect finishes.

A new signing from Gremio of Brazil – Rene Santos – made his debut for Frontale at right back. After winning games with no Brazilians in the team, one would have thought coach Kazama would have thought better of this change and, sure enough, the away team – in a huge slump – pulled out the win! Kashiwa Reysol coach had perhaps worked out his particular Brazilian Sudoku, as Ricardo Lobo, though seemingly uninjured and not suspended, did not even make the bench – a wise decision indeed.

Kudo opened the scoring for the away team just after the hour mark with the second attempt at a close range chance and, minutes later it was Junya Tanaka who blasted a half volley straight at the keeper, who seemed to know little about it hitting him in the chest. The deficit for Frontale remained a single goal until added time, when Kudo advanced with the ball, drew the defence and slipped it to his left where Jorge Wagner was marauding in and he took it first time to make it final score 2-0.

Sanfrecce lined up in 3-2-4-1 line-up and were soon ahead from an unlikely source – a 63 yard effort from Toshio Aoyama, who spotted Iikura off his line and blasted it from way inside his own half! Ishihara was denied from making it 2-0 before a Yuji Oo cross, in the 38th minute, found old man Marquinos heading home at the far post for the equalizer. Oguro – this is how it’s done!

Hisato Sato got the better of centre back Nakazawa mid-way through the 2nd half but his shot on the turn flew across the goal and it was Marinos who got the go-ahead goal in the 77th minute as Sanfrecce keeper (did a “Fujigaya” and ) mishandled a tame Oguro header and Saito made the loose ball count. And it was soon 3-1 as Tomisawa headed home a Nakamura corner with aplomb, and Marinos were making it four wins in a row!

Hasegawa started a game for Ardija for the first time this season, with Rafael benched, while Sagan Tosu – protecting a home unbeaten record – were without top scorer Toyoda through suspension, but Min Woo Kim was a handful for the away team today, putting one just over the bar erly on and then hitting that bar with a ripper of a shot in the 32n d minute, while also coming close with a free kick a minute later. The score remained deadlocked at the break.

Omiya finally opened the scoring with less than ten minutes to go, Aoki sliding home a ball that Rafael served up for the cool finish. Just when it seemed Tosu’s home unbeaten record was in danger, a Fujita long throw bypassed everyone and the unfortunate Hasegawa put the ball in at the far post – own goal, shared points.

Dutra had the chance to open the scoring for the away team in the opening minute, but his weak left shot failed to even find the target after good work from Osako fed the Brazilian on a plate. Jubilo opened the scoring with their first goal attempt of the game, in the 10th minute, Maeda scoring his first goal for seven games on a flicked header from a Baek cross from the right.

Kosuke Yamamoto had the chance to double the lead just after the break but his tame shot was straight at the keeper and it stayed 1-0 until the 84th minute when a Maeda cross met the advancing Matsuura, and he flicked it past the keeper after taking a controlling touch to extend Jubilo’s lead. Hiroki Yamada made it 3-0 and put the game well out of reach in the final minute of regular time and Jubilo beat their rivals at home for the first time in ten years!

Barely had the opening whistle sounded when Kajiyama opened the scoring for FC Tokyo by deftly scooped a low Ishikawa cross from the left wing through a crowd of defenders and past the despairing keeper – less than a minute on the clock. And that early goal was enough to give the away team the win, but Tokyo also should be thanking keeper Gonda for some fine saves; Furuta, Kondo, Takaki, and Maeda were all denied by the Japan U-23 Olympic keeper to give Tokyo the clean sheet and all three points.

Hiraoka replaced the suspended Calvin Jong-a-Pin at centre back, while Sho Ito got the central forward start, flanked by Omae and Takagi. Kakitani was given another start for Cerezo, with Branquinho on the bench. The away team opened the scoring when a long deep cross from Kurogi evaded S-Pulse keeper , coming out of his goal. Needless to say, Kempes could not even hit the wide open target with Hayashi in no-man’s land, but the ball came off the post for Kakitani to put it in from close range in the 15th minute. Sakemoto was next to feed the Brazilian “striker” and, again, he failed to even hit the target with a free header at the far post.

It was almost half time when Alex Brosque saw his free kick saved well – S-Pulse’s first attempt on goal! Moments later, Kim almost doubled the score, forcing Hayashi down low to his right to make up for his earlier error and keep the score down to 1-0 at the break.

In the 2nd half Shimizu did manage to get the ball in the away half a little more, and Brosque, Takahara and Takagi were all denied, while France emulated his countryman at the other end by missing the target with a header that looked easier to score as time ran out.

Just as it seemed Cerezo would take the points, a goalmouth scramble in the 96th minute saw the ball fall free for Brosque to pop it into an unguarded net from a yard out and earn S-Pulse a point.

Brosque noted that, “The goal was a little bit lucky, it just popped out… but I think we deserved a goal.”

S-Pulse coach Afshin Ghotbi said on his own web site that he could easily have changed nine players at half time, but was only limited to three subs – but held off until later in the 2nd half. His patience eventually paid dividends! His complete post-match report can be found below this report on the Home page and the Reports page.