Tag Archives: Bellmare
J1 2nd Stage, the story so far! What do you think?
After three games it means VERY little and, of course the play-off spots go on overall points totals, except for the top spot (winners of each stage) but it’s interesting that (after only three games, I know) that half of the division is on a win, a draw and a loss from their three games.
It must be confidence-boosting for Sanfrecce and Vissel to be “riding high” and for the likes of Reysol, Grampus and Kofu, for example, to be gaining points and entering the top 6.
A long way to go but confidence and a winning mentality always help in the long run.
Points shown only
1 Sanfrecce Hiroshima 9
2 Vissel Kobe 7
3 Kashiwa Reysol 6
4 Kawasaki Frontale 4
4 Ventforet Kofu 4
6 Nagoya Grampus 4
6 Gamba Osaka 4
8 Sagan Tosu 4
9 Urawa Reds 4
9 F.C.Tokyo 4
11 Kashima Antlers 4
11 Shonan Bellmare 4
13 Montedio Yamagata 3
14 Albirex Niigata 3
15 Matsumoto Yamaga F.C. 3
16 Yokohama F･Marinos 2
17 Shimizu S-Pulse 2
18 Vegalta Sendai 1
Nabisco Cup Round-Up April 8th matches.
A late goal saved Sanfrecce Hiroshima from defeat against Shonan Bellmare in one of last night’s J.League Yamazaki Nabisco Cup Group A games. Takuma Asano scored his second of the game in additional time to level the scores at 2-2 and save Sanfrecce’s blushes. Bruno Cesar and Shota Kobayashi scored for the J1 new boys.
Elsewhere in Group A, Matsumoto Yamaga took maximum points in a 3-1 away win at Ventforet Kofu. After Takuma Abe had opened the scoring for the home side, Tatsuya Sakai scored his first-ever goal in Japanese football for Yamaga. And then he scored again! Naoki Maeda scored the away team’s other goal.
In the final match in the group – FC Tokyo had the night off in the seven team initial stage – Albirex Niigata triumphed over Sagan Tosu on the only goal of the game from Ryohei Yamazaki.
In Group B, Nagoya Grampus took the lead three times over Montedio Yamagata – on goals from Akira Takeuchi, Asahi Yada and Milivoje Novakovic – but each time the home team pulled level. The final goal in this six-goal thriller came from Hiroki Bandai’s header in the 92nd minute. Grampus stay top of the group, three points clear of Vissel Kobe who have a game in hand on the leaders. Vissel were held to a 0-0 draw at Vegalta Sendai.
Group B’s other match produced a 2-0 away win for Kawasaki Frontale over Shimizu S-Pulse. Goals from Kentaro Moriya and Elsinho gave Frontale their first points of the Nabisco campaign.
The next Nabisco Cup matches take place on April 22nd.
Shonan Bellmare 2015 Season Preview
by @FRsoccerFraser
As expected following promotion Shonan Bellmare have made wholesale changes, welcoming in 12 new players and parting with 18 as they hope to re-establish themselves in J1.
The most notable departures are two of their main goalscorers – powerful Brazilian striker Wellington netted 20 times for them last season and returns to his homeland to join Ponte Preta, while Kosuke Taketomi’s nine goal haul from midfield was enough to gain the interest of Kashiwa Reysol.
Experienced centre back Andre Bahia has signed from Brazil’s relegated Serie A side Botafogo and will look to form a strong defensive line along-side current players Wataru Endo and Yuto Misao, joined by former Urawa Reds stalwart Keisuke Tsuboi. Bellmare also welcome in South Koreans Lee Ho-Seung, a GK from Consadole Sapporo, and defensive midfielder Kim Jong-Pil (Tokyo Verdy), both of whom will need to fight for their place in the side.
Portuguese forward Bruno ‘Guima’ Guimaraes was set to bolster the attack, but medical checks confirmed knee cartilage damage, and the deal fell through. Bellmare instead add 19 year old Henrique ‘Alison’ Mira from Brazil’s Serie D side Sao Caetano. With Shuhei Otsuki sidelined since June with hamstring tendon trouble, the other forward option comes in the form of Yoshihito Fujita (Yokohama F•Marinos).
Twelve players have left from midfield alone, though most of them are fringe players loaned to lower leagues. Among those, though, were two regular starters – Masashi Kamekawa and Ken Iwao, who join Avispa Fukuoka and Mito HollyHock respectively. Andrew Kumagai ends his loan spell and returns to F•Marinos while Hirokazu Usami transfers to Montedio Yamagata.
Amongst the new arrivals is the familiar face of Kaoru Takayama, who re-joins Bellmare from Kashiwa Reysol, having left the club in 2013. He is accompanied in midfield by Naoki Yamada (Urawa Reds) and loanee Masataka Kani (Kawasaki Frontale).
Having wrapped up the J2 title with 43 days to spare, Cho Kwi-Jae will have had plenty of time to consider the challenge ahead they look to banish the memory of J1 relegations in 2010 and 2013. Managed by a former defender they will have great insight into stopping the likes of Muto, Usami and co., and if they can find a worthy replacement for Wellington’s number 9 shirt I can see them avoiding the drop. Predicted finish 12th-14th Overall.
Web site – www.bellmare.co.jp
Facebook – https://ja-jp.facebook.com/teambellmare
Twitter – @bellmare_staff
2015 Bellmare kit – like it?