The sixth and final matchday of Japan's Nabisco League Cup group stage took place on June 8, with six teams advancing to the knock-out stage to join AFC Champions League combatants Kashima Antlers and Gamba Osaka in the final eight. The shock of the afternoon came before a crowd of 35,417 at Saitama Stadium, where visitors Nagoya Grampus thumped hosts Urawa Reds 5-1, with in-form striker Keita Sugimoto scoring a hat-trick after coming off the bench at the fifty-seventh minute mark. It was an unhappy afternoon for Urawa's third-choice goalkeeper Nobuhiro Kato, who conceded four goals in the final half hour after Urawa's Tsukasa Umesaki had cancelled out Yoshizumi Ogawa's early first half strike. Elsewhere Jubilo Iwata beat Shimizu S-Pulse 2-0 in the third Shizuoka derby of the season at Yamaha Stadium, with Robert Cullen and Gilsinho capitalising on some sloppy S-Pulse defending. Shimizu thought they had opened the scoring when Kazuki Hara rattled the net on twenty-seven minutes, however his strike was ruled out for offside. Jubilo took advantage when Takuya Matsuura curled in an inch-perfect cross for Robert Cullen to steal in behind the defence and nod home the opener after thirty-six minutes, and Jubilo scored a crucial second just before half-time when Gilsinho robbed Shimizu playmaker Jungo Fujimoto of possession before curling an excellent finish beyond Yohei Nishibe in the Shimizu goal.

China may be the dominant Asian force in women's football, but having secured their place in the semi-finals of the AFC Women's Asian Cup currently taking place in Vietnam, that is something that Japan are hoping to change. Coach Norio Sasaki's side could hardly have booked their semi-final place in more dramatic circumstances, needing to beat Australia by two clear goals in their final group game at Thong Nat Stadium in Ho Chi Minh City on June 2. Early strikes from Kozue Ando, Yuki Nagasato and Aya Miyama eased Japanese nerves, and a late Clare Polkinghorne effort proved academic as both nations progressed to the last four of the tournament. Japan's success comes on the back of their recent East Asian Championship win in China, where they lifted the title following a 3-0 thrashing of the hosts at Yongchuan Stadium in Chongqing. Coach Sasaki credited his country's first ever major women's title to the strength of the domestic Nadeshiko League, where players ply their trade in an increasingly professional environment. Comprised of an eight-team First Division and a nine-team Second Division, the bulk of the current Japan squad contains players from the two dominant forces in Japanese women's football, three-time reigning champions NTV Beleza and Saitama outfit Urawa Reds Ladies. Tokyo Verdy affiliate NTV Beleza are sponsored by Nippon TV and led by stars Homare Sawa - Japan's most capped player and the Most Valuable Player at the recent East Asian Championships, and striker Yuki Nagasato - a mainstay of the national team despite not yet having celebrated her 21st birthday. Urawa Reds Ladies contributed four players to Japan's AFC Women's Asian Cup squad, including veteran goalkeeper Nozomi Yamago and defender Kozue Ando, and both will be looking to wrest the domestic Nadeshiko League trophy away from the dominant NTV Beleza. With the competition currently on hiatus given the national team's quest for continental glory, Urawa Reds Ladies lead the early standings ahead of their main rivals NTV Beleza. They won't have things all their own way, however, with the Okayama Yunogo Belles and the Kobe-based INAC Leonessa also looking to put up a stern challenge in this season's competition. The Nadeshiko League provides an opportunity for players like Saki Kumagai and Michi Goto - both students at Tokiwagi Gakuen High School who were called up for Japan's AFC Women's Asian Cup campaign, to continue training and playing football at an elite level after their school days have ended. While the women's game in Japan hasn't quite reached the level of its male counterpart the J. League, attendances continue to rise - with crowds in excess of 2,000 turning out to watch the stars of NTV Beleza and Urawa Reds Ladies do battle, while teams such as the Fukushima-based TEPCO Mareeze and Tasaki Perule FC continue to hold their own, with funding channelled in from the likes of the league's major sponsor Plenus. Indeed the competition looks set to return to the halycon days of the mid-nineties, when the league achieved national prominence before an economic bust saw a sharp downturn in the fortunes of women's football in Japan. Whether Japan can beat arch-rivals China for a place in the final of the AFC Asian Women's Cup remains to be seen. Japan's players will at least have a vibrant domestic league to return home to, however, as the women's game in Japan continues to go from strength to strength. Copyright © Michael Tuckerman & Soccerphile.com J.League News Tags Bet with Bet 365 World Soccer News Soccer betting tips Soccer Books & DVDs Tags Soccer News soccer football J-League K-League Betting

They may be struggling in the league, but Shimizu S-Pulse are on course to book a place in the quarter-finals of the Nabisco League Cup following their most recent 4-2 victory over local rivals Jubilo Iwata on May 25. Playmaker Jungo Fujimoto scored twice for the Shizuoka side, but it was 23-year-old striker Kazuki Hara who stole the show, turning in an eye-catching performance as he looks to press claims for a regular starting position in Kenta Hasegawa's side. JEF United remained unbeaten under new coach Alex Miller after they beat Consadole Sapporo 2-1 away in Hakodate, with ex-Vegalta Sendai striker Tatsunori Arai scoring twice. The largest crowd of the day turned out at Toyota Stadium, where hosts Nagoya Grampus thumped Urawa Reds 4-2 to all but end Urawa's hopes of progressing to the last eight of the competition. The Saitama giants have picked up just two points from their four matches played so far. Another full round of Nabisco League Cup fixtures takes place on May 31, with the pick of the action seeing Kyoto Sanga FC hoping to keep their quarter-final hopes alive when they host Nagoya Grampus, FC Tokyo take on Shimizu S-Pulse in the unusual surrounds of Matsumoto Stadium in Nagano, Kashiwa Reysol and JEF United face off in the Chiba derby at Kashiwanoha Stadium and Oita Trinita welcome Yokohama F. Marinos to the Kyushu Oil Dome, with both teams locked in a tense battle for supremacy in Group D. J. League issues apology The J. League has issued an apology to Kawasaki Frontale striker Kazuki Ganaha, who saw his appeal against a J. League-imposed doping ban upheld by the Court of Arbitration for Sport in Geneva. Ganaha was handed a six-match ban by the J. League in 2007 after he was issued an intravenous drip by his club in an attempt to overcome the effects of a cold. Although Ganaha's injection contained little more than a garlic infusion he was subsequently banned by the J. League, who claimed that his treatment contravened their strict anti-doping regulations. The Court of Arbitration for Sport found that Ganaha was not at fault for the breach and overturned the J. League's decision, as well as ordering the J. League to contribute to the cost of Ganaha's appeal. Urawa Reds and Gamba Osaka look set to escape punishment Urawa Reds and Gamba Osaka look set to escape official sanctions following the serious crowd disturbances that marred Gamba's 3-2 victory over the Reds at Saitama Stadium on May 17. Both clubs were forced to apologise to J. League chairman Kenji Onitake in the aftermath of the tumultuous scenes, while Gamba Osaka took it upon themselves to disband one of their main supporter groups. Nearly two weeks after the match the J. League is yet to hand down official sanctions, suggesting that two of Japan's most powerful clubs will go unpunished for their roles in some of the worst fan violence to have hit the league. Japan National Teams Japan may have won the Kirin Cup, but Takeshi Okada's team failed to impress too many fans when they followed up a 1-0 win over Cote D'Ivoire on May 24 with an insipid display in a 0-0 draw with Paraguay just three days later. It wasn't just the turgid football that will have alarming bells ringing in JFA headquarters, with a respectable 40,710 crowd at Toyota Stadium followed three days later by a turn-out of just 27,988 that left more than half of Saitama Stadium empty. Coach Okada dropped goalkeeper Yoshikatsu Kawaguchi and Urawa Reds striker Naohiro Takahara from his starting eleven, and it was Takahara's replacement Keiji Tamada who scored the winner over the Cote D'Ivoire. After starting both matches, Tamada's Nagoya Grampus team-mate Seigo Narazaki will almost certainly take the gloves for Japan's upcoming World Cup qualifier with Oman at Nissan Stadium in Yokohama. Meanwhile Yasuharu Sorimachi's Olympic team lost out in the semi-finals of the 2008 Toulon Tournament to Italy, going down 5-4 on penalties after a scoreless draw, with Celtic's Koki Mizuno missing the crucial spot-kick. Copyright © Michael Tuckerman & Soccerphile.com J.League News Tags Bet with Bet 365 World Soccer News Soccer betting tips Soccer Books & DVDs Tags Soccer News soccer football J-League K-League Betting

The J. League gears up for a five week recess following this weekend's round of action, with plenty at stake for clubs at both ends of the table. Consadole Sapporo kick off the weekend against Nagoya Grampus, and the two sides could hardly be experiencing more contrasting fortunes. Sapporo remain second-from-bottom despite their most recent 2-1 win away at Omiya Ardija. Second placed Nagoya were held to a 0-0 draw at home by Vissel Kobe in their most recent clash, with both of those matches taking place in atrocious conditions as wet weather continues to plague the league. There's a high profile clash at Saitama Stadium as Urawa Reds host Gamba Osaka, and the Reds can thank an errant linesman's flag for their 1-0 win over Kawasaki Frontale at a packed Todoroki Stadium last weekend. Edmilson had opened the scoring from the penalty spot for Urawa, however Kawasaki looked to have equalised through Hiroyuki Taniguchi - only for his effort to be chalked off due to an offside flag, despite the fact that Urawa midfielder Nobuhisa Yamada appeared to be playing Taniguchi onside. Kyoto Sanga FC have dropped into the relegation zone following a 1-0 defeat away at bottom club JEF United, and they will take on Yokohama F. Marinos in the unfamiliar surrounds of Kagoshima's Kamoike Stadium. Kyoto have attracted large crowds to their Nishikyogoku Stadium home this season, however they cannot rely on home advantage when they 'host' Marinos at the 36,000-capacity Kamoike Stadium on the southern island of Kyushu - hundreds of kilometres from their Kyoto base. Elsewhere Jubilo Iwata take on high-flying FC Tokyo at Yamaha Stadium, Kashima Antlers host Kashiwa Reysol, bottom club JEF United welcome Oita Trinita to the Fukuda Denshi Arena, Kawasaki Frontale take on Omiya Ardija at Todoroki Stadium, while on Sunday Vissel Kobe take on Albirex Niigata and Tokyo Verdy welcome Shimizu S-Pulse to Ajinomoto Stadium looking to avenge a recent 5-0 thrashing in the League Cup. In J2 the highlight fixtures see Sagan Tosu host Sanfrecce Hiroshima, Cerezo Osaka welcome second placed Shonan Bellmare to Nagai Stadium, Vegalta Sendai take on mid-table Montedio Yamagata, while Yokohama FC clash with Avispa Fukuoka at Mitsuzawa Stadium. J1 clubs will return to league action on June 28, however the three final group stage games of the Nabisco League Cup are set down for May 25, May 31 and June 8. Alex Miller signs on as coach of JEF United Having sacked Croatian coach Josip Kuze just 24-hours after claiming that he had the club's full support, JEF United have signed former Rangers star and Liverpool first-team coach Alex Miller to take over as coach of the embattled Chiba side. Miller watched from the stands as United beat Kyoto Sanga FC under the watchful eye of assistant coach Shigeo Sawairi, but the Scotsman will need to make a swift transition from the English Premier League to the J. League, with the Chiba Dogs still five points behind Consadole Sapporo at the foot of the table. The cashed-up United will reportedly pay Miller an annual salary of 500,000 pounds and they are also keen on trying to lure unsettled Newcastle United striker Michael Owen to the J. League. Owen came through the ranks at Liverpool during Miller's time as first-team coach, and with the Chiba side desperate to find a goalscorer - they've scored a paltry nine goals in 12 games played this season, United could be set to launch an audacious bid for the England star. AFC Champions League Gamba Osaka booked their place in the knock-out stages of the AFC Champions League by beating Thai outfit Chonburi FC 2-0 at Supachalasai Stadium in Bangkok on May 7. Substitute Masato Yamazaki opened the scoring for the Osakans just seconds after entering the fray, before Lucas Severino wrapped up the points with a late second. Gamba have an unassailable lead at the top of Group G with one match remaining. Kashima Antlers, meanwhile, are locked in a neck-and-neck battle with Beijing Guoan FC for a place in the final eight. The two sides are locked on 12 points with one game remaining, however with Kashima possessing a vastly superior goal difference, the Ibaraki outfit will progress should the two teams remain level on points at the end of the group stage. Defending champions Urawa Reds will join the competition at the quarter-final stage, with the draw set to be announced on May 24. Japan National Teams Takeshi Okada has named his squad for the upcoming Kirin Cup set to take place between May 22 - 27, with European-based trio Shunsuke Nakamura, Daisuke Matsui and Makoto Hasebe all receiving call-ups. Kawasaki Frontale defender Yusuke Igawa was the only surprise inclusion, although Urawa midfielder Keita Suzuki and strikers Seiichiro Maki and Ryoichi Maeda of JEF United and Jubilo Iwata were also called up, despite having missed much of the season through injury so far. Japan take on the Ivory Coast on May 24, before clashing with Paraguay three days later. Meanwhile Japan under-23 coach Yasuharu Sorimachi has dropped lanky FC Tokyo striker Sota Hirayama from a squad that will take part in an international tournament at the end of the month, preferring instead to call up Catania striker Takayuki Morimoto and Urawa Reds youngster Sergio Escudero. Japan take on the Netherlands, hosts France and Chile at the Toulon international tournament, with particular interest in the clash between the Netherlands and Japan, who face each other in Group B of the 2008 Olympics in Beijing. The USA and Nigeria are Japan's other opponents at the Olympics, with Sorimachi's team looking to become the first to win a medal since Japan claimed bronze at the 1968 Olympics in Mexico City. Copyright © Michael Tuckerman & Soccerphile.com J.League News Tags Bet with Bet 365 World Soccer News Soccer betting tips Soccer Books & DVDs Tags Soccer News soccer football J-League K-League Betting

It was honours even in the Shizuoka derby, although Jubilo Iwata will be the far happier after they turned in a battling display. The Yamaha-backed club took the lead in front of a full house of 20,330 at Nihondaira Stadium, with Japan international Yuichi Komano stroking an accurate left-foot effort beyond the diving Yohei Nishibe to hand Jubilo a deserved first half lead. Shimizu S-Pulse responded in scrappy fashion just three minutes after the restart, with 23-year-old striker Kazuki Hara volleying home after the Jubilo defence had failed to clear a cross from Shimizu playmaker Jungo Fujimoto. Jubilo midfielder Takahiro Kawamura picked up two yellow cards within the space of sixty seconds to receive his marching orders with twenty-five minutes remaining, however Shimizu were unable to take advantage as a lack of composure in front of goal cost them dearly. Both Fernandinho and Daisuke Ichikawa got in behind the Jubilo defence over the closing stages, only to fire high into the packed stands behind Yoshikatsu Kawaguchi's goal. The two teams will meet again in the League Cup at Nihondaira Stadium on May 25. In other J. League fixtures a crowd of 34,436 was on hand at Toyota Stadium, however the home fans were left disappointed as Nagoya Grampus crashed to their third straight defeat. They went down 2-1 to Gamba Osaka, for whom Bare scored twice either side of a twenty-five yard piledriver from Nagoya midfielder Yoshizumi Ogawa. Bottom club JEF United were beaten 1-0 at home by Kashiwa Reysol in the Chiba derby, Tokyo Verdy beat Yokohama F. Marinos 3-2 in an entertaining encounter at the National Stadium, while FC Tokyo recorded an impressive 3-0 away win over Omiya Ardija. Another seven J. League fixtures will take place on May 6, with the pick of the action seeing Jubilo Iwata host Kawasaki Frontale at Yamaha Stadium, FC Tokyo welcome an out-of-form Nagoya Grampus to Ajinomoto Stadium, while league-leading Urawa Reds host bottom club JEF United at Saitama Stadium. Copyright © Michael Tuckerman & Soccerphile.com J.League News Tags Bet with Bet 365 World Soccer News Soccer betting tips Soccer Books & DVDs Tags Soccer News soccer football J-League K-League Betting

The extended Golden Week holiday period has caused headaches for defending J. League champions Kashima Antlers. The Ibaraki giants were run off their feet in the final fifteen minutes of their clash with Omiya Ardija on April 27, as the Saitama outfit came roaring back to record an impressive 1-1 draw. Young striker Shinzo Koroki had handed Kashima an early lead at a packed Omiya Park, however the hosts hit back with a header from captain Yoshiyuki Kobayashi with fifteen minutes remaining. Omiya battered their illustrious rivals thereafter, and they should have snatched a winner when playmaker Daigo Kobayashi fired high and wide after he had been played in by a perfect through ball from Brazilian striker Denis Marques. Three days later Kashima were held to a 2-2 draw at home by Vissel Kobe, with some uncharacteristically poor defending aiding Kobe's cause. Marquinhos handed Kashima the lead with a bullet header midway through the second half, however a mix-up in the Kashima defence allowed Takayuki Yoshida to steal in behind the back four and produce a simple finish for the equaliser. With three minutes remaining mercurial Kobe striker Yoshito Okubo then scored one of the easiest goals of his career, as Kashima goalkeeper Hitoshi Sogahata inexplicably raced out of his area to meet a long punt forward - only to be beaten to the ball by Okubo, who simply nodded the ball around the stricken keeper before tapping it into an empty net. Kashima hit back less than sixty seconds later through the goal of the game, as Marquinhos produced a clinical finish after being played in by Danilo. On May 3 Kashima travel to Todoroki Stadium for a tough looking fixture with Kawasaki Frontale. The Kanagawa side have won both of their fixtures under Tsutomu Takahata, who took over as coach following the shock resignation of Takashi Sekizuka. In the other highlight fixtures on May 3 local rivalries catch the eye, as Omiya Ardija host FC Tokyo in a clash of two unexpected high fliers at Omiya Park. There's a nostalgia-filled encounter set to take place at the National Stadium between Tokyo Verdy and Yokohama F. Marinos, while Nagoya Grampus will look to end a two-game losing streak when they welcome Gamba Osaka to Toyota Stadium. JEF United welcome prefectural rivals Kashiwa Reysol to town for the Chiba derby, and United coach Josip Kuze is desperate for a win. His team are yet to register a victory this season, and the Chiba Dogs are already five points adrift of second-from-bottom Consadole Sapporo. While most expected JEF United to be involved in a relegation dogfight, few would have predicted that the 2005 and 2006 League Cup champions would be so far adrift at this early stage. Ironically these two sides have already met at Fukuda Denshi Arena in this season's League Cup, where they played out a hard-fought 1-1 draw. A year to the day since they last met at Nihondaira Stadium, Shimizu S-Pulse and Jubilo Iwata renew hostilities in the Shizuoka derby. Two defeats to their arch-rivals last season cost Jubilo coach Adilson his job, however Jubilo's then-tormentor Cho Jae-Jin has since departed for the K-League. Both of these sides go into this clash in form, with Shimizu S-Pulse having downed FC Tokyo 1-0 on April 26, before beating Kashiwa Reysol 2-0 in Chiba three days later. Jubilo Iwata came from behind to beat JEF United 2-1 thanks to a brace from Gilsinho, before they downed Kyoto Sanga FC 2-0 at Yamaha Stadium on April 29. The two Shizuoka outfits will meet again in the League Cup at Nihondaira on May 25, so both will be itching to gain the upper hand in what is likely to be an epic encounter. Sanfrecce Hiroshima lead the way in J2, with the relegated outfit having lost just once in their nine league games so far. They hammered Tokushima Vortis 4-1 in front of 7,254 fans at Pocarisweat Stadium on April 29, with Koji Morisaki and Hisato Sato both helping themselves to a double. Vegalta Sendai are in second after they thrashed Sagan Tosu 3-0 before a crowd of 13,461 at Yurtec Stadium in their latest encounter, while fallen giants Cerezo Osaka are in third. Pierre Littbarski's Avispa Fukuoka have been the division's most disappointing side, with the Kyushu outfit currently lying tenth in the J2 standings. Littbarski raided his former club Sydney FC for defender Mark Rudan and midfielder Ufuk Talay, as well as adding Australian international Joel Griffiths to his ranks. The Aussies have failed to settle, however, with Rudan currently out with a knee injury, while the robust styles of Talay and Griffiths have caught the eye of some of J2's more pedantic referees. Takehito Shigehara questioned over alleged panty theft Japan international Takehito Shigehara has been questioned by police over an alleged underwear theft that is said to have taken place in September 2001. The Kashiwa Reysol star is alleged to have gained entry to a woman's Kobe apartment and stolen several pairs of her underwear, as well as a mobile phone. Shigehara was recently called up to the Japan squad by coach Takeshi Okada, however the midfielder is currently absent from the Kashiwa Reysol line-up pending the outcome of police investigations. Japanese Players overseas Makoto Hasebe : VfL Wolfsburg Makoto Hasebe scored his first goal for VfL Wolfsburg in their most recent 2-2 draw at Bayer Leverkusen - although there was an element of fortune to the strike, with the former Urawa man appearing to foul Leverkusen defender Hans Sarpei as he bundled the ball over the line. Junichi Inamoto : Eintracht Frankfurt The much-travelled Junichi Inamoto has started in Eintracht Frankfurt's last three Bundesliga encounters, and the one-time Arsenal midfielder is expected to feature in Frankfurt's upcoming clash with defending champions VfB Stuttgart. Shinji Ono : VfL Bochum Injury-prone ex-Feyenoord midfielder Shinji Ono has fallen out of favour with VfL Bochum coach Marcel Koller, with Ono having made just three starts for the Ruhr club since his January transfer from Urawa Reds. Shunsuke Nakamura : Celtic Celtic are five points clear at the top of the Scottish Premier League following their most recent 3-2 defeat of arch-rivals Rangers, in which Shunsuke Nakamura played the full ninety minutes. Despite the victory Rangers are still in the box seat to claim the Premier League crown, with the Glasgow giants having three games in hand over their city rivals.

Nagoya Grampus lead the J. League standings by three points ahead of the traditional Golden Week rush. The Toyota-backed outfit are playing fast-paced, attacking football under new coach Dragan Stojkovic, however Nagoya fans are quick to point out that they were also leading the league at the same stage last season, only to limp home to an eventual eleventh placed finish. Nevertheless Nagoya's confidence will be sky-high ahead of their visit to Ajinomoto Stadium where they take on the hapless Tokyo Verdy, who followed up a 5-0 thrashing by Shimizu S-Pulse in the League Cup with a similarly embarrassing 5-1 defeat by an injury-hit Kashiwa Reysol last weekend. Shimizu S-Pulse take on FC Tokyo at Nihondaira Stadium, with these two sides having already met in the League Cup at the same venue this season. Shimizu won that game 3-1, and with the Shizuoka outfit hovering just above the relegation zone, they'll hope for a repeat scoreline in front of their passionate supporters. Northern sides Consadole Sapporo and Albirex Niigata will slug it out at the Sapporo Dome, with both teams looking to pull away from the bottom three. Fourteenth placed Sapporo have made a shaky return to the top flight, but they'll feel confident of taking something from a Niigata side that is currently entrenched in the relegation zone. The pick of the fixtures sees newly promoted Kyoto Sanga FC take on Urawa Reds at what will be a packed Nishikyogoku Stadium. These two sides have already met twice in the League Cup this season, with Kyoto outplaying their more fancied rivals on both occasions. They were unable to conjure a winner in a thrilling 3-3 draw in Kyoto, while the return clash at Komaba Stadium ended in a 1-1 stalemate. Kyoto will hope that it's a case of third-time lucky when they meet Urawa in the league, however they are missing the suspended Ataliba, Sidiclei and Tatsuya Masushima - as well as coach Hisashi Kato, all of whom were controversially sent off by referee Ryuji Sato in Kyoto's most recent 1-0 loss away at Albirex Niigata. On Sunday defending champions Kashima Antlers make the trip to Omiya Park to take on locals Omiya Ardija, while there's a hotly anticipated Kansai derby on the cards when Vissel Kobe host local rivals Gamba Osaka. With the Golden Week holiday period heralding a jam-packed fixture list there is also a full round of matches on April 29. The pick of those games sees Urawa Reds take on last season's J2 champions Consadole Sapporo at Saitama Stadium, Yokohama F. Marinos host regional rivals JEF United at Nissan Stadium, while ex-Kawasaki Frontale playmaker Magnum faces up to his former club when Nagoya host Kawasaki in what should be an absorbing duel at Mizuho Stadium in Nagoya. Kawasaki Frontale manager Takashi Sekizuka steps down 47-year-old Kawasaki Frontale manager Takashi Sekizuka has resigned, citing poor health for his decision. The popular Sekizuka was the second-longest serving manager in the top flight behind Gamba Osaka's Akira Nishino, having guided Kawasaki from the Second Division into the upper echelons of the top flight. He steered the Kanagawa club to a second place finish in J1 in 2006, before Kawasaki reached the quarter-finals of the AFC Champions League a year later. Sekizuka will be replaced by his assistant Tsutomu Takahata, who steps up to take over as manager of a side that has struggled in the new season so far. Nabisco League Cup The third round of Nabisco League Cup group-stage fixtures took place on April 16, with few surprises to speak of. Nagoya Grampus lead the way in Group A after they beat Vissel Kobe 2-0 thanks to goals from Keita Sugimoto and a strike from veteran midfielder Toshiya Fujita, while Urawa Reds prop up the group after their 1-1 draw at home to Kyoto Sanga FC. In Group B Shimizu S-Pulse thrashed a sorry-looking Tokyo Verdy 5-0, with midfielder Fernandinho scoring a first-half brace. The undefeated Shimizu top the group, with FC Tokyo and Jubilo Iwata locked in a tight battle for second place following their 1-1 draw in the capital. JEF United may be propping up the J. League standings, but the 2005 and 2006 League Cup champions sit atop Group C, although they are level on points with Consadole Sapporo after the two sides played out a 0-0 draw in Chiba. Kawasaki Frontale thrashed Kashiwa Reysol in the other game, with Juninho scoring a hat-trick. Yokohama F. Marinos are unbeaten in Group D, and they hammered a woeful Omiya Ardija 4-0 in their clash at Mitsuzawa Stadium, with ex-Cruzeiro striker Roni scoring twice. In the evening's other fixture Albirex Niigata drew 1-1 with Oita Trinita, leaving Oita in second place in the group. The next round of fixtures are scheduled to take place on May 25. AFC Champions League Kashima Antlers crashed to their first defeat in the AFC Champions League on April 23, going down 1-0 to Beijing Guoan thanks to Tiago's solitary strike at Beijing's Fengtai Stadium. The defeat will have left Kashima coach Oswaldo de Oliveira fuming after he complained bitterly of a fixture list that saw his side play domestic giants Urawa Reds and Gamba Osaka ahead of the clash, while Beijing Guoan went into the match having enjoyed a ten-day break in the Chinese Super League. Kashima lead the way in Group F on goal difference, with only the group winners progressing to the quarter-finals. Gamba Osaka sit atop Group G of the Champions League after they comfortably disposed of A-League side Melbourne Victory, winning 2-0 at Expo '70 Stadium in the northern outskirts of Osaka thanks to a brace from striker Masato Yamazaki. The next round of fixtures are set to take place on May 7. Copyright © Michael Tuckerman & Soccerphile.com J.League News Tags Bet with Bet 365 World Soccer News Soccer betting tips Soccer Books & DVDs Tags Soccer News soccer football J-League K-League Betting

The sixth round of the J. League throws up two significant clashes, with the eleventh Tokyo derby competing for headlines along with the eternal classic between Urawa Reds and Kashima Antlers. Fallen giants Tokyo Verdy host their Ajinomoto Stadium co-tenants FC Tokyo on April 12, with Verdy having only just registered their first win in the league since winning promotion back to the top flight. They won away at Vissel Kobe in Round 5 thanks to 18-year-old Hiroki Kawano's volley, but it is the return of striker Hulk that could prove key to Verdy's chances of maintaining their top flight status. The 21-year-old Brazilian propelled Tokyo Verdy to promotion by scoring 37 league goals in 42 appearances in J2 last season, but after failing to settle at Kawasaki Frontale, Hulk has made a permanent switch across the Tama River for a reputed fee of around 500 million yen. On Sunday the highlight clash of the day undoubtedly takes place at Saitama Stadium, when bitter rivals Urawa Reds host defending J. League champions Kashima Antlers. There is plenty of history between these two clubs, but another chapter was added on an extraordinary final day last season when Kashima pipped Urawa to the post to lift the league trophy in thrilling circumstances. The Reds will be aching for revenge against their arch-nemesis, although they will have their work cut out for them against a Kashima side that has won all five of their league fixtures at a canter this season. In other highlight Round 6 fixtures, Consadole Sapporo look to crack their first home win of the season in the league when they host Jubilo Iwata at the Sapporo Dome, struggling JEF United welcome Omiya Ardija to the Fukuda Denshi Arena, Tokai rivals Shimizu S-Pulse and Nagoya Grampus face off at Nihondaira Stadium, while there's a Kansai derby between Kyoto Sanga FC and Vissel Kobe at what will be a packed Nishikyogoku Stadium in Kyoto. Relegated Sanfrecce Hiroshima lead the way in J2, although they are level on points with Sagan Tosu as the early jostling for promotion places kicks off in earnest. Yokohama FC and Vegalta Sendai are hot on their heels, but it has been a disappointing start for Pierre Littbarski's Avispa Fukuoka, with the Kyushu outfit currently lying in ninth following their latest 3-1 loss away at Tokushima Vortis. This weekend Fukuoka host newcomers FC Gifu at Hakata no Mori, while the other highlight clashes see Vegalta Sendai take on Tokushima Vortis, Shonan Bellmare welcome relegated Ventforet Kofu to Hiratsuka, while there's a clash of the big guns when Sanfrecce Hiroshima take on Cerezo Osaka at Big Arch Stadium in Hiroshima. AFC Champions League Kashima Antlers look set to cruise beyond the group stage of the AFC Champions League, after the Ibaraki side maintained their one hundred percent record with a 1-0 victory over Beijing Guoan FC on April 9. Former Sao Paulo midfielder Danilo scored the only goal of the game as Kashima notched up their third straight win in the competition, although there was a blow for coach Oswaldo de Oliveira as Japan international Atsuto Uchida was forced to leave the field with a back injury late in the second half. Meanwhile a last-minute winner from substitute Lucas Severino saw Gamba Osaka beat Melbourne Victory 4-3 in a thriller watched by 23,857 fans at the Telstra Dome in Melbourne. The A-League side raced out to an early lead through Danny Allsopp, however Gamba pegged back the hosts thanks to goals from long-range specialist Takahiro Futagawa and the predatory Bare. There was controversy when Gamba captain Satoshi Yamaguchi appeared to be fouled in the build-up to Melbourne's equaliser - which Roddy Vargas headed home, and Bare then had a goal ruled out after officials judged that his header had not crossed the line after bouncing down off the crossbar. Melbourne retook the lead midway through the second half through the ubiquitous Allsopp, but Gamba roared back as Yamaguchi equalised with a trademark header. The stage was set for a winner, and Gamba duly conjured it as teenager Michihiro Yasuda crossed for substitute Lucas Severino to head home in the final minute. The victory leaves Gamba three points clear of Chonburi FC at the top of Group G, with Melbourne Victory and Chunnam Dragons both locked on three points at the bottom of the group. The next round of fixtures scheduled to take place on April 23. Japan National Team Japan slumped to a 1-0 defeat in hot and humid conditions in Bahrain on March 26, in their second qualifying game for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa. Takashi Okada spared Celtic star Shunsuke Nakamura the trip to the Middle-East, while Urawa Reds striker Naohiro Takahara picked up an injury on the eve of the match. Their absences failed to mask a desperately poor showing from the Blue Samurai, with many questioning why not a single Kashima Antlers player was used despite the Ibaraki side lifting last season's J. League trophy. Japan now turn their attention to the annual Kirin Cup, where they will face the Ivory Coast at Toyota Stadium on May 24, before taking on Paraguay at Saitama Stadium three days later. Their World Cup campaign resumes on June 2 when they take on Oman in Yokohama. Japanese players overseas Takayuki Morimoto : Catania

After sensationally sacking coach Holger Osieck in the aftermath of Urawa's second successive league defeat of the season, all eyes will be on Saitama Stadium for the beginning of the Gert Engels era as Urawa Reds kick off their Nabisco League Cup campaign at home to Vissel Kobe. Club president Mitsunori Fujiguchi claimed that Osieck had lost the support of the players, and former assistant coach Engels will hope to win over players and fans alike with some positive results in Urawa's upcoming League Cup matches. In contrast to Holger Osieck, Nagoya Grampus coach Dragan Stojkovic was ecstatic with Nagoya's 2-0 win over Urawa last weekend, and the Toyota-backed club kick off their League Cup campaign when they face Kyoto Sanga FC for the second time in two weeks. The League Cup is comprised of a six-game group stage, with the four group winners and two best-placed runners-up joining AFC Champions League participants Kashima Antlers and Gamba Osaka in the quarter-finals. The fixture list for the first two League Cup rounds is; March 20 Group A Nagoya Grampus vs Kyoto Sanga FC (Mizuho Stadium) Urawa Reds vs Vissel Kobe (Saitama Stadium) Group B Tokyo Verdy vs Jubilo Iwata (Ajinomoto Stadium) Shimizu S-Pulse vs FC Tokyo (Nihondaira Stadium) Group C Kawasaki Frontale vs JEF United (Todoroki Stadium) Kashiwa Reysol vs Consadole Sapporo (Kashiwanoha Stadium) Group D Yokohama F. Marinos vs Oita Trinita (Mitsuzawa Stadium) Albirex Niigata vs Omiya Ardija (Big Swan Stadium) March 23 Group A Vissel Kobe vs Nagoya Grampus (Kobe Wing Stadium) Kyoto Sanga vs Urawa Reds (Nishikyogoku Stadium) Group B Jubilo Iwata vs FC Tokyo (Yamaha Stadium) Tokyo Verdy vs Shimizu S-Pulse (Ajinomoto Stadium) Group C Consadole Sapporo vs Kawasaki Frontale (Muroran Stadium) JEF United vs Kashiwa Reysol (Fukuda Denshi Arena) Group D Omiya Ardija vs Yokohama F. Marinos (Omiya Park Stadium) Oita Trinita vs Albirex Niigata (Kyushu Oil Dome) In the pick of the J2 fixtures on March 20, Vegalta Sendai host Avispa Fukuoka in a clash of promotion hopefuls, Thespa Kusatsu take on unbeaten Yokohama FC, another unbeaten club in Sanfrecce Hiroshima travel to Shonan Bellmare, while Mito Hollyhock host Ventforet Kofu. On March 23 Yokohama FC host Sagan Tosu, Cerezo Osaka welcome Vegalta Sendai to Nagai Stadium, Sanfrecce Hiroshima face Mito Hollyhock at Big Arch, while FC Gifu host Tokushima Vortis in a Sunday evening clash. Keiji Tamada earns surprise recall to the Japan team Nagoya Grampus striker Keiji Tamada has earned a surprise recall to the Japan squad that travels to Manama to face Bahrain in a crucial World Cup qualifier on March 26. The 27-year-old has not featured for the national team since scoring against Brazil at the 2006 FIFA World Cup, after a series of injuries saw him lose his place in the Nagoya starting line-up under former Dutch coach Sef Vergoossen. Tamada has started both of Nagoya's league matches under new coach Dragan Stojkovic, however the experienced striker will battle with Vissel Kobe front man Yoshito Okubo for a place in the Japan starting line-up. Eintracht Frankfurt midfielder Junichi Inamoto also earned a recall from coach Takeshi Okada, although Celtic midfielder Shunsuke Nakamura was not asked to make the arduous journey to the Gulf State. AFC Champions League under way Kashima Antlers and Gamba Osaka have experienced contrasting emotions in the AFC Champions League so far. 2007 J. League champions Kashima have scored an astonishing fifteen goals in their two matches so far, following up a 9-1 win away at Krung Thai Bank FC with a 6-0 demolition of hapless Nam Dinh at Kashima Stadium. Gamba Osaka, meanwhile, needed a late Lucas Severino strike to force a 1-1 draw with Thai side Chonburi FC at Expo '70 Stadium in Osaka, before they came from behind to beat Korean outfit Chunnam Dragons 4-3 in a thriller in Gwangyang, with striker Ryuji Bando scoring twice. Copyright © Michael Tuckerman & Soccerphile.com J.League News Tags Bet with Bet 365 World Soccer News Soccer betting tips Soccer Books & DVDs Tags Soccer News soccer football J-League K-League Betting

The sixteenth season of the J. League gets under way on March 8, with Kashima Antlers kicking off their title defence with an intriguing clash against J2 champions Consadole Sapporo. Sapporo have endured a difficult pre-season, which culminated in the departure of Brazilian midfielder Alceu just weeks after he had joined the club from Kashiwa Reysol. Rumours of financial turmoil continue to dog the northern outfit, whose preparation for the new season has also been hindered by the freezing conditions that continue to linger in Hokkaido. Toshiya Miura's men will be keen to avoid a similar fate to Yokohama FC, who were champions of J2 in 2006 but who subsequently went on to record the lowest points tally since the top flight switched to a single-stage season. The clash of the round takes place at Nissan Stadium, where Yokohama F. Marinos host bitter rivals Urawa Reds. The Reds will be out to exorcise the demons of their last trip to Nissan Stadium, which saw them relinquish the J. League title as they were inexplicably beaten by relegated Yokohama FC on the final day of last season. That allowed Kashima Antlers to claim an improbable title win, and Urawa will be determined to get off to a winning start in 2008 when they make the short trip to the port city. Just up the road the town of Kawasaki will brace itself for an emotional fixture, as Kawasaki Frontale host Tokyo Verdy at will be a packed Todoroki Stadium. The last time these two sides met was back in 2000 when Tokyo Verdy were better known as Verdy Kawasaki, but the fallen giants have since crossed the Tama River into Tokyo, where they spent the past two seasons languishing in J2. These days Kawasaki Frontale are the premier team in the region and they'll be determined to put one over Tokyo Verdy, with many of the town's citizens still slighted by Verdy's decision to up sticks and cross prefectural lines. Elsewhere Shimizu S-Pulse look set to welcome one of the largest opening day crowds in their history when they host Oita Trinita, Jubilo Iwata will be out to avenge a 4-0 drubbing to Kashiwa Reysol on the opening day last year when they travel to Kashiwa Hitachi Stadium, while Omiya Ardija host the weekend's final clash when they take on Albirex Niigata at Omiya Park Stadium. In J2 Shonan Bellmare kick off the season when they host Vegalta Sendai, while relegated Sanfrecce Hiroshima travel to Thespa Kusatsu for their opening fixture. Fellow relegated side Ventforet Kofu are at home against J2 newcomers FC Gifu, while Yokohama FC start their campaign on the road at Tokushima Vortis. Super Cup marred by refereeing controversy J2 outfit Sanfrecce Hiroshima won the annual Japanese Super Cup when they beat Kashima Antlers 4-3 on penalties in front of 27,245 fans at the National Stadium in Tokyo on March 1, but the result was overshadowed by a controversial performance from referee Masaaki Iemoto. Iemoto handed red cards to Kashima central defenders Daiki Iwamasa and Go Aiwa, as well as Hiroshima midfielder Ri Han-Jae. The first came as early as the twelfth minute when Iwamasa saw a second yellow for 'ungentlemanly conduct,' while Han-Jae earned his marching orders for his second innocuous-looking foul just before the half-time interval. Kashima led the match 2-0 courtesy of sweetly taken strikes from midfielders Masashi Motoyama and Takuya Nozawa, however Hiroshima hit back through a hotly disputed penalty from new signing Tatsuhiko Kubo with ten minutes remaining. Kubo took the spot-kick twice after his first was ruled out for encroachment, and when Japan international Hisato Sato headed home an equaliser five minutes later, the match went to penalties. Controversy erupted after referee Iemoto ordered a retake of Hiroshima's second spot-kick, after Kashima shot-stopper Hitoshi Sogahata had saved Ilian Stoyanov's original effort. The Bulgarian stepped up to convert at the second attempt. Hiroshima captain Hisato Sato then had the chance to win the shoot-out when he stepped up with the scores locked at 3-3, only for Sogahata to tip his penalty around the post. That should have sent the match into sudden death penalties, however Iemoto once again ordered the spot-kick to be retaken, and Sato made no mistake from his second attempt. Around 100 Kashima fans stormed the pitch in the ensuing chaos, while Go Aiwa earned a straight red card for comments he made to Iemoto as he trudged off the pitch. After the match Antlers coach Oswaldo de Oliveira raged at the refereeing performance, with Kashima subsequently demanding an official enquiry into Iemoto's handling of the match. In a rare concession J. League Chairman Kenji Onitake admitted that Iemoto had made some questionable decisions, and suggested that his performance would be reviewed by league officials. Copyright © Michael Tuckerman & Soccerphile.com J.League News Bet with Bet 365 World Soccer News Soccer betting tips Soccer Books & DVDs Tags Soccer News soccer football J-League K-League Betting