Tag Archives: Giravanz Kitakyushu
Giravanz Kitakyushu 2015 Season Preview
by @GiravanzWombat
This year is the first stage of Giravanz’s plan to “hop, step and jump” to J1. After a fantastic 2014 season, hopes and expectations are high for 2015. With club hero and top scorer, Tomoki Ikemoto leav- ing to join new J1 boys, Matsumoto, who will score for Giravanz this year? Up front sees regular starter Kazuki Hara joined by Yusuke Kondo from Tochigi SC, Rui Komatsu from Oita Trinita and Shohei Otsuka from JEF United Chiba. Hara is a popular player and played in every J2 game for us last year. He said his goal for this season is to score 20 goals (13 more than in 2014) – let’s hope he does! And hopefully we can see more of exciting young forward, Daiki Watari and his celebration dance this year, too.
The midfield should remain pretty much the same this year, but two of the team’s best defenders have left. Yuki Fuji has moved to FC Gifu and Daiki Watanabe to Ventforet Kofu. Experienced defender, Hiroyuki Nishijima has come in from Yokohama FC, at time of writing, the defensive line looks undecided. Koki Otani had a great season on loan in goal but unfortunately Urawa Reds have called him back. This season former Shonan Bellmare keeper, Nobuyuki Abe will wear No.1. So a few ins and outs, but still the best-looking team in the J.League!
Giravanz Captain Kazuya Maeda wants to finish in the top three (1st or 2nd if possible). There are a few changes but I am sure that Giravanz will finish in the top six again. Whatever the result I’ll be cheering the best (J2) club in Kyushu! Kitakyushu we love you!
Shohei Otsuka (C) Giravanz Kitakyushu
Web site – www.giravanz.jp
Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/GIRAVANZ.KITAKYUSHU
Twitter – @Giravanz_staff
YouTube – www.youtube.com/user/giravanzkitakyushu
J2 Matchday 39 – Results, table ….
Montedio Yamagata 1-0 Giravanz Kitakyushu
Kyoto Sanga 3-1 FC Gifu
Avispa Fukuoka 2-3 Ventforet Kofu
Roasso Kumamoto 0-1 Yokohama FC
Tokyo Verdy 4-1 Tochigi SC
Machida Zelvia 2-4 Ehime FC
Shonan Bellmare 1-1 JEF United Chiba
Matsumoto Yamaga 2-1 Mito HollyHock
Tokushima Vortis 3-0 Kataller Toyama
Thespa Kusatsu 1-0 Fagiano Okayama
Gainare Tottori 1-0 Oita Trinita
Table at http://www.jsoccer.com/tables/
Starting at the top, Ventforet Kofu clinched the J2 Championship in an away victory over Avispa Fukuoka, while Kyoto Sanga put away their inconsistency for a while (?) and made 2nd spot their own with a 3-1 win over FC Gifu. Kyoto also have a game in hand – to be played this week at Tokushima Vortis – and COULD go four points clear of 3rd placed Shonan Bellmare with a win. With three games to go after that match is played, it would be a HUGE three points for the Kansai team.
Meanwhile, fighting for the play-off spots we saw Montedio Yamagata stay in the hunt with a 1-0 win over Giravanz Kitakyushu, who are now out of the running. Shonan Bellmare fought out a 1-1 draw and are in 3rd (66 points) and 6th (33) respectively. Oita Trinita went down away to Gainare Tottori in a shock result that sees Oita left in 4th on 64 points. In 5th we see Yokohama FC, who pulled off single goal away win at Roasso Kumamoto. Hanging around just outside the play-off zone, in 7th we see Tokyo Verdy, only edged out be JEF on goal difference, it must be said, who beat up Tochigi 4-1, effectively ending the losing team’s play-off hopes, although not mathematically, and this IS J2 we are discussing!
Montedio are in 8th and still in the fight and a special mention for Matsumoto Yamaga, in their debut year in J2, up to 9th (with a win over Mito HollyHock) and, technically still in with a chance, too – but, more importantly well clear of relegation and a nicely-consolidated place in J2 for 2013.
Fagiano Okayama likely lost their slim hopes of making the play-offs with a 1-0 defeat at Thespa Kusatsu, while aforementioned defeats for Kitakyushi, Mito and Tochigi sees those teams consigned to middle-table “obscurity” for this season now.
At the bottom Machida Zelvia went down 4-2 at home to Ehime FC and are now six points adrift of FC Gifu, in 21st position in J2 and are staring relegation from J2 in the face, J.League with associate members V-Varen Nagasaki well clear at the top of the JFL. For a full explanation of the possibilities of J2/JFL relegation/promotion see JSoccer Magazine Issue 5 page 27.
In J1 AND J2 we are in for BIG finish – be there with JSoccer Magazine and JSoccer.com