Tag Archives: Koroki

Previews

J1 Final Day Preview – Kashima Antlers vs Kashiwa Reysol at Kashima 15.30, Dec.1st

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Team News
Kashima Antlers – no suspensions, MF/DF Yamamura is still out injured but back in training. FW Koroki is expected to be available.
Kashiwa Reysol – MF Barada is suspended, MF Mizuno is very doubtful.

Head to Head – 10 wins for Antlers, just 2 for Reysol, and 5 draws since 2003. Both of Reysol’s wins came last season in their Championship winning year.

Match Preview – Kashima Antlers now have nothing left to play for, having gained J1 safety last week due to an away defeat of Nagoya Grampus. Coach Jorginho will be looking for a win that could pull his team up a couple of players, but it would still not be as high as the fans would have expected. Will a Nabisco Cup win be enoughfor Jorginho to keep his job? We shall see. Koroki should be back from injury but Dutra is coming good, finally, and might benefit from being show the team has confidence in him by leaving him in the starting XI?

For Kashiwa Reysol this is a do or die match for a place in the 2013 ACL and, even if they win, they have to rely on Sagan Tosu not winning. Influential C is back and in form and the other decent Brazilian they have, Jorge Wagner, scored the match-winning goal against Vissel Kobe last week . . a big finish for this team and then they have to wait and see what happens in Tosu. EXPECT a DRAW anyway!

Previews

J1 Preview Nov.7th 19.00 – Omiya Ardija vs Kashima Antlers at NACK 5

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Team News
Omiya Ardija – DF Murakami is out long term.
Kashima Antlers – DF Yamamura is a long-term injury victim. MF Renato is ready to return from injury.

Head to Head – In 16 matches between these two teams since 2003, Ardija have won only once, with 4 draws occurring. 11 wins for Antlers.

Match Preview – Kashima Antlers come into the game still in relegation trouble, but wih the boost of a Nabisco Cup Final win at the weekend. Will they be on a roll, or will they be hungover? Their Nabisco win was not emphatic, by far, a penalty kick and a counter attack won the game for them on a very defensive display. Perhaps a similar approach will get them a point, or three, and secure their J1 place for 2013? Osako and Koroki are off form, but Dutra is creating space and chances, and their midfield gets the goals. And will again.

Omiya Ardija are the in-form team and a win today will see them quite probably safe from relegation and pull Antlers into that fight. It is a real six-pointer. They may be disillusioned by quotes from Novokovic in the German press this week that emphasised him saying he looks forward to returning to the Bundesliga in January. Possible out-of-context, and possibly not missed in the end, but the timing was not good. EXPECT a DRAW!

Previews

J1 Preview – Sat. October 27th – 17:00 Kashima Antlers v. Shimizu S-Pulse at Kashima Stadium

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Team News – Kashima Antlers – DF Yamamura is a long-term injury victim.
Shimizu S-Pulse – FW Takagi is suspended.

Head to Head – 11 wins for Antlers, five for S-Pulse and EIGHT draws, in 24 matches since 2003.

Match Preview – Kashima Antlers entertain their Nabisco Cup Final opponents, with three draws in their last five matches and still realistically needing 2 or 3 points to make sure of their J1 place for 2013 and are only missing Yamamura in defence and have no suspensions. Osako and Koroki – a decent young Japanese partnership – should be scoring freely, but they have been very inconsistent and the likes of Dutra have been getting time on the field instead. The Antlers fans will be disappointed with the season and perhaps only a Nabisco Cup win can save the job of Jorginho – which might not be a good thing, if this is the way they play under the Brazilian coach!

Shimizu S-Pulse will have been disappointed with their home draw last week, against Vissel Kobe, but beat Jubilo and Vegalta in the two previous games AND won 3-0 in the Nabisco Cup Final over FC Tokyo so will be in the confidence zone. If Korean forward Kim can add to his goals total, if Omae can keep scoring, if Takagi can stay fit … all these things can come together and give S-Pulse an excellent final five games and see them take an ACL spot. It’s time they sealed up coach Afshin Ghotbi’s next five years or more before another team snaps him up! EXPECT a WIN for SHIMIZU S-PULSE!

Previews

J1 Preview Aug.25th – 18:30 Kashima Antlers vs Albirex Niigata at Kashima

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Kashima Antlers – FWs Osako and Dutra and DF/MF Nishi are all suspended. DF/MF Koji Nakata will be out for at least another month.
Albirex Niigata – MFs Kim, Nakamura and Ichida, and FW Suzuki are all long-term injuries.

Head to Head – surprisingly even over the years, since 2004, 7 wins for Antlers, 6 for Albirex and 7 draws.

Kashima have won one of the last three – with defeats to Sagan Tosu and Urawa Reds sandwiching a win over Jubilo Iwata. After a terrible start Kashima put some points on the board but still look like a team in disarray at times and are not yet clear of relegation this season. If they can consolidate their position in J1 the powers-that-be need to decide if they keep faith with Jorginho as coach, then they can start the rebuilding process. FW Koroki will have a lot on his shoulders with the suspensions of Osako and Dutra which could be a bonus for Albirex Niigata, who are in deep trouble.
The return of CB Suzuki from the Olympics didn’t make much difference last week in a defeat to top team Sanfrecce Hiroshima, and they are the lowest scoring team in J1, with even less goals than bottom club Consadole! FWs Hirai, Yano et al MUST take the chances that they are given, as they are few and far between.

Even with the suspensions I can not see Albirex getting anything out of this. Expect a WIN for KASHIMA ANTLERS!

Previews

PREVIEW May 12th 14:00 Jubilo Iwata v. Kashima Antlers at Yamaha Stadium

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Jubilo Iwata – FW Kanazono is approaching a return, but not yet. GK Kawaguchi is a long term injury.

Jubilo Iwata (P10 W4D3 L3 GD +1) have hit a rough patch after a decent start, and personally I feel the real Jubilo is now showing through and they will not be challenging for honours this season! They have only won one of their last five games and are slipping down the table. Unbelievably, also, in the last ten years, they have won only once in 18 attempts against Antlers, don’t expect another win today as the resurgent Kashima team add to their decent run.

Kashima Antlers (P10 W3 D2 L5 GD -2) won three in-a-row after their dire goalless start, but have slipped to a draw and a loss in their last two outings. Coach Jorginho is getting to know his team’s strengths (and weaknesses – hello Juninho) and with a prolonged partnership up front Koroki and Otake WILL be among the goals. With Jubilo conceding nine goals in their last three games, expect the young dynamic duo to notch again, and EXPECT a WIN for KASHIMA ANTLERS!

It’s true. Get this – in 18 meetings over the last decade Jubilo have won only once – in November 2010 – to Kashima’s record of 12 wins, with five draws!

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.