The home team were ahead as early as 3 minutes as Fujimoto threaded a pass through the defence for Kanazaki to slot past the keeper. Grampus were 2-0 up on 15 minutes when an Abe cross was turned in by a defender for an own goal. Tamada added the 3rd goal with 14 minutes to go, after good quick passing from Nagai and Kanazaki found him space to put it past the keeper from close range.
Sapporo got a lucky consolation goal in the final minute of regulation time when Furuta’s 20 yard effort took a wicked deflection to leave Narazaki helpless in the Grampus goal.

Vissel started this game – in very wet conditions – knowing that they has taken maximum points away at Reds in the last two seasons, and were hoping for more of the same to kickstart their season after three losses in a row had derailed the good start of opening the season with two wins.
The opening stages were dominated by Vissel and Okubo saw a superb mid-range shot rocket off the bar after a counter-attack in the 9th minute, but the teams remained scoreless at the break. Yuki Abe broke the deadlock shortly after the restart with a left footed half volley after the ball fell to him from a Kashiwagi corner in the 53rd minute.
Reds almost went further ahead in the 63rd minute as Marcio Richardes hit the post from ten yards out, the rebound falling for Kashiwagi who was denied by Tokushige in the Vissel goal.
But it was indeed Marcio Richardes who made it 2-0 in the 77th minute after Takagi had mis-timed a tackle and given away an inviting free kick that the Reds’ Brazilian obligingly curled into Tokushige’s right hand top corner as the keeper did his best to get across his goal.
And so Vissel made it five losses in a row, including a Nabisco Cup defeat in Kashima, but there are good signs in the team and things are coming together, even if results are not, yet, going the way of the team in crimson.

The away team took the lead on a bullet header at the back post as Cho piled into a Komano corner kick in the 12th minute. That seemed to be the only chance Jubilo had all half, but they took it! It seemed as if it would be the only goal before the break but Takagi had other ideas and latched onto a long Kawai cross from the right, eluding the defenders and heading home from 12 yards out to make it 1-1 at half time. Three minutes into the 2nd half Takagi turned supplier as he curled in a cross that Genki Omae managed to get on the end of, his diving header giving the keeper no chance! And it was Omae again with just a few minutes on the clock who made the game safe after a mazy run ended with him poking the ball home as he fell.
Kosuke Yamamoto pulled one back for Jubilo in the 94th minute but it was too late to do any good and S-Pulse remained unbeaten in a home Shizuoka Derby for the 9th year!

The 3rd placed team took on the cellar-dwelling Antlers looking to put another nail in the coffin of the Kashima giants, but it was not to be today! FC Tokyo lost keeper Gonda around the 30 minute mark as he collected a through ball aimed at Koroki, the Kashima forward sliding in and colliding with the young keeper. He was replaced by Shiota, and Tokyo fans, as well as Japan Olympic fans will be hoping the injury is nothing serious. Shiota soon made his mark, denying that same forward five minutes later and the game remained scoreless at the break.
Kashima finally took the lead in the 66th minute as Endo intercepted some lazy passing on the Tokyo left wing and broke fast. He found Osaka on the right side of the area and he in turn slid the ball across to a free Koroki who dinked the ball over the Tokyo keeper for the lead.
FC Tokyo found the equaliser in the 85th minute when, for the second time in the game – and for the second time he was wrong – the referee decided that a keeper had picked up a back pass. Tanabe blasted the ball home at the third attempt as the ball ricocheted around the six yard box after the free kick was taken.
Kashima got their first win of the season in injury time when a Juninho shot was parried by the keeper but only into the path of Endo, who controlled the ball and blasted it into the empty net.

The top team visiting the reigning champions was always going to be a game to see, and so it turned out. An early advantage went the away team’s way when Kondo scored with a bullet header from a corner in the opening minutes. They could have been 2-0 ahead just before the half hour mark as Wilson advanced in from the right wing but his cross was just behind the unmarked Akamine and the score remained 1-0 to Sendai at the break.
Reysol finally equalized in the 55th minute as Leandro Domingues sent home a free kick with the keeper still preparing himself, the balding Brazilian taking advantage of a lack of concentration from the Sendai defence. But Vegalta were ahead again within a minute after good work from Wilson found Sekiguchi unmarked in the penalty area and he managed to slot the ball home despite the close attention of the keeper.
But, once again the leaders of J1 failed to hold onto the lead, this time the follically-failing Leandro Domingues turning back a deep cross that the defence had left to go out, the ball finding its way through keeper Hayashi’s legs at the post to make it 2-2 in the 66th minute. But Sendai managed to grab the lead for the third time in the 78th minute, Akamine turning in a right wing cross from close range and the points were Vegalta’s!
Leandro Domingues got two yellow cards in the game but TV highlights completely ignored the fact so you’ll have to take my word for it! NHK, PLEASE give us a little more detail!

Sure, it’s only after 2 games, but ….

The top 4 in J1:
1     Vegalta Sendai     6pts     +3
2     Vissel Kobe     6pts     +2
3     F.C.Tokyo     6pts     +2
4     Kawasaki Frontale    6pts     +2

The bottom 4 in J1:
15     Yokohama F.Marinos     1 pt.     -2
16     Gamba Osaka     0 pts    -2
17     Albirex Niigata     0 pts      -2
18     Kashima Antlers     0 pts  -2

<a href=”https://www.facebook.com/JSoccerMagazine”>Discuss on Facebook</a> and Twitter – @JSoccerMagazine …. will it stay that way? Are Vegalta, Vissel, Tokyo, Frontale that good this season? Are Antlers, Gamba, Marinos, Albirex that bad?

It’s going to be a great season, join in!