Tag Archives: Yamaga
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.
Matsumoto Yamaga 2015 Preview
2015 will be Matsumoto Yamaga’s first in the top tier of Japanese football. The club’s story is a footballing fairytale. Just five years ago, they were about to start their first season in what was then Japan’s third tier, the Japan Football League. Before
the 2004 season, Yamaga had only ever played in the Regional Leagues.
The off-season has seen 15 players join the club, but it is one or two of the outgoings that may have the biggest impact on Yamaga’s season.
Composed 21-year-old centre-back Tomoya Inukai has returned to his parent club Shimizu S-Pulse after a season and a half on loan at the club. He formed an excellent partnership with club captain Masaki Iida last season. The most notable out is at the other
end of the pitch. Takayuki Funayama’s 19 goals fired Yamaga to promotion. but he has since departed for Kawasaki Frontale. Replacing Funayama’s goals is likely to be the key to Yamaga’s survival chances.
Of the several incomings, Brazilian Obina looks to be the stand-out candidate to step up and fill Funayama’s boots. The Brazilian was signed from América in his homeland, where he scored 13 goals in 32 Serie B appearances last season. Elsewhere,
Tatsuya Sakai has joined on loan from fellow J1 side Sagan Tosu. The central defender fell out of favour in the second half of last season after an error-strung debut for the Samurai Blue. If he can form a similar partnership with Iida as Inukai did in the last campaign, then Yamaga are at least likely to be hard to beat.
The treble signing of defender Keita Goto, midfielder Takayoshi Ishihara and striker Tomoyuki Arata from Fagiano Okayama, and the capture of front man Tomoki Ikemoto from Giravanz Kitakyushu adds clear strength in depth that will be needed over a long two stage campaign.
After several seasons of climbing the Japanese football ladder, Matsumoto Yamaga would be delighted with a season of consolidation and survival in their first J1 campaign. While they may be one of the favourites for the drop, a squad that has a good mix of youth and experience, combined with their amazing fans – especially on the road, there is every chance the Yamaga footballing fairytale can continue into 2015.