On an evening of shock results for away teams in the European zone for qualification for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, England, Scotland, Denmark, and yes, Luxembourg all beat tough teams away. England, were a different proposition this time around at the Maksimir Stadium in Zagreb , beating Croatia 4-1, thanks to a Theo Walcott hat-trick and a goal from Wayne Rooney. Scotland won on the road in Iceland 2-1, with goals from Kirk Broadfoot and Barry Robson in Rejkyavik. The biggest shock on a night that saw Denmark beat Portugal 3-2 at the Estádio José Alvalade in Lisbon was Luxembourg's 2-1 win over Switzerland at the Letzigrund Stadion in Zurich. Joint Euro 2008 hosts Austria also came down to earth after their 3-1 win over France in Vienna, when they lost 2-0 away to Lithuania, who have taken a maximum six points from their first two games. In other results, a Miroslav Klose hat-trick saved Germany from defeat in Finland with the game ending in a 3-3 tie. France beat Serbia 2-1, Italy edged Georgia by the same score and Russia won a close game with Wales also 2-1. In Asia zone qualifying games, North and South Korea shared the points in Shanghai - surprise, surprise, with a 1-1 draw in the southern Chinese port city. Australia got their World Cup campaign off to a winning start with a 1-0 success in Uzbekistan in Group 1 . In South America, Paraguay stay top of the group after a 2-0 defeat of Venezuela. In the CONCACAF zone, the USA had an impressive 3-0 home win over Trinidad & Tobago, to top their group with maximum points. Bet with Bet 365 Soccer betting tips Soccer Books & DVDs Tags Soccer News World Cup

Sunday, 18 May Urawa Reds top the J-League going in to the summer break despite a 3-2 home loss to Gamba Osaka in front of 50,000 spectators at Saitama Stadium. The match was marked by some of the worst crowd trouble in J-League history after Gamba fans pelted Reds players with plastic bottles following the final whistle and were in turn attacked by the Urawa hard core. The visiting fans had to be kept locked in the stadium for over two hours before they were allowed to leave. JEF United gave new coach Alex Miller a winning start with a 1-0 win over Oita but remain rooted to last place. J1 Sapporo Consodole 1 Nagoya Grampus 3 Urawa Reds 2 Gamba Osaka 3 Iwata Jubilo 1 FC Tokyo 2 Kyoto Sanga 1 Yokohama F Marinos 0 Kashima Antlers 1 Kashiwa Reysol 1 JEF United 1 Oita Trinita 0 Kawasaki Frontale 2 Omiya Ardija 3 Vissel Kobe 1 Niigata Albirex 1 Tokyo Verdy 4 Shimizu S-Pulse 1 Leading Positions Urawa P13 Pts 26 Grampus P13 Pts 26 FC Tokyo P13 Pts 23 Reysol P13 Pts 20 Frontale P13 Pts 20 J2 In J2, Sanfrecce are four points clear of Vegalta and Cerezo. Sagan Tosu 0 Sanfrecce Hiroshima 1 Cerezo Osaka 2 Shonan Bellmare 0 Vegalta Sendai 3 Montedio Yamagata 2 FC Gifu 0 Thespa Kusatsu 1 Tokushima Vortis 2 Roasso Kumamoto 0 Yokohama FC 1 Avispa Fukuoka 1 Mito Hollyhock 1 Ehime FC 0 Leading Positions Sanfrecce P13 Pts 29 Vegalta P13 Pts 25 Cerezo P13 Pts 25 Bellmare P13 Pts 24 Yokohama FC P13 Pts 23 Sagan P13 Pts 21 Previous week's J.League results and standings Bet with Bet 365 World Soccer News Soccer betting tips Soccer Books & DVDs Tags J-League Results

Sunday, 11 May Urawa Reds now lead the table after a hard fought 1-0 win away to Kawasaki Frontale at Todoroki Stadium as Antlers lost by the same score at Shimizu S-Pulse . Kyoto Sanga, after a decent start are quickly falling in to the danger zone. Their latest defeat 1-0 at bottom club JEF J1 JEF United 1 Kyoto Sanga 0 Kawasaki Frontale 0 Urawa Reds 1 Niigata Albirex 1 Iwata Jubilo 0 Nagoya Grampus 0 Vissel Kobe 0 Omiya Ardija 1 Sapporo Consodole 2 Oita Trinita 2 Tokyo Verdy 0 Shimizu S-Pulse 1 Kashima Antlers 0 FC Tokyo 0 Kashiwa Reysol 1 Gamba Osaka 2 Yokohama F Marinos 2 Leading Positions Urawa P12 Pts 26 Grampus P12 Pts 25 Frontale P12 Pts 20 FC Tokyo P12 Pts 20 Reysol P12 Pts 19 J2 In J2, Sanfrecce still lead the league followed by Bellmare and Vegalta. Thespa Kusatsu 1 Cerezo Osaka 3 Sagan Tosu 2 Tokushima Vortis 1 Montedio Yamagata 3 Mito Hollyhock 1 Avispa Fukuoka 0 Sanfrecce Hiroshima 3 Yokohama FC 1 Ehime FC 0 Vegalta Sendai 2 Ventforet Kofu 0 Roasso Kumamoto 0 FC Gifu 2 Shonan Bellmare 2 Sagan Tosu 1 Leading Positions Sanfrecce P12 Pts 26 Bellmare P12 Pts 24 Vegalta P12 Pts 22 Cerezo P12 Pts 22 Sagan P12 Pts 21 Yokohama FC P12 Pts 20 Previous week's J.League results and standings Bet with Bet 365 World Soccer News Soccer betting tips Soccer Books & DVDs Tags J-League Results

Sunday, 27 April Dragan Stojkovic's Nagoya Grampus remain atop the J-League despite losing 2-0 away to lowly Verdy. Urawa Reds coach Gert Engels had a triumphant return to a former club when his team crushed Kyoto Sanga 4-0 in the ancient capital. Shimizu S-Pulse had a decent result winning 1-0 over visiting FC Tokyo to pull a little further away from the mire at the bottom. J1 Kyoto Sanga 0 Urawa Reds 4 Tokyo Verdy 2 Nagoya Grampus 0 Shimizu S-Pulse 1 FC Tokyo 0 Sapporo Consodole 0 Niigata Albirex 1 Oita Trinita 1 Yokohama F Marinos 0 Kawasaki Frontale 3 Kashiwa Reysol 2 JEF United 1 Iwata Jubilo 2 Omiya Ardija 1 Kashima Antlers 1 Vissel Kobe 2 Gamba Osaka 1 Leading Positions Grampus P8 Pts 19 Antlers P8 Pts 17 Urawa P8 Pts 16 FC Tokyo P8 Pts 14 Marinos P8 Pts 13 J2 In J2, Sanfrecce still lead the league followed by Bellmare and Sagan in hot persuit. Sagan Tosu 2 Tokushima Vortis 1 Yokohama FC 1 Cerezo Osaka 1 FC Gifu 2 Yokohama FC 3 Ehime FC 1 Vegalta 1 Montedio Yamagata 0 Avispa Fukuoka 0 Ventforet Kofu 1 Ehime FC 0 Roasso Kumamoto 1 Sanfrecce Hiroshima 2 Vegalta Sendai 3 Mito Hollyhock 3 Shonan Bellmare 4 FC Gifu 2 Leading Positions Sanfrecce P8 Pts 17 Bellmare P8 Pts 15 Sagan P8 Pts 15 Yokohama FC P9 Pts 14 Vegalta P9 Pts 13 Last week's J.League results and standings Bet with Bet 365 World Soccer News Soccer betting tips Soccer Books & DVDs Tags J-League Results

Sunday, 20 April Dragan Stojkovic's Nagoya Grampus top the J-League after a come from behind home win over bottom club JEF United. Reigning J-League champions Kashima Antlers are second after a goalless home draw with Gamba. Shimizu S-Pulse move out of the bottom three positions after a 1-1 draw away to Marinos. J1 Nagoya Grampus 3 JEF United 2 Kashima Antlers 0 Gamba Osaka 0 FC Tokyo 4 Kawasaki Frontale 2 Niigata Albirex 1 Kyoto Sanga 0 Vissel Kobe 1 Sapporo Consodole 1 Kashiwa Reysol 5 Tokyo Verdy 1 Yokohama F Marinos 1 Shimizu S-Pulse 1 Omiya Ardija 0 Urawa Reds 0 Iwata Jubilo 1 Oita Trinita 1 Leading Positions Grampus P7 Pts 19 Antlers P7 Pts 16 FC Tokyo P7 Pts 14 Marinos P7 Pts 13 Urawa P7 Pts 13 J2 In J2, Sanfrecce still lead the standings despite a first loss of the season 2-1 at home to Ventforet. FC Gifu 2 Yokohama FC 3 Ehime FC 1 Vegalta 1 Thespa Kusatsu 1 Montedio 1 Cerezo Osaka 1 Roasso Kumamoto 0 Avispa Fukuoka 2 Sagan Tosu 0 Sanfrecce Hiroshima 1 Ventforet Kofu 2 Vortis 2 Mito Hollyhock 0 Leading Positions Sanfrecce P7 Pts 14 Yokohama FC P8 Pts 13 Bellmare P7 Pts 12 Vegalta P8 Pts 12 Sagan P7 Pts 12 Last week's J.League results and standings Bet with Bet 365 World Soccer News Soccer betting tips Soccer Books & DVDs Tags J-League Results

Sunday, 13 April Reigning J-League champions Kashima Antlers lost for the first time this season away at Urawa Reds. Nagoya Grampus 0-2 winners away at Shimizu now top the league. J1 Sapporo Consodole 2 Iwata Jubilo 1 Yokohama F Marinos 2 Kashiwa Reysol 0 Shimizu S-Pulse 0 Nagoya Grampus 2 JEF United 0 Omiya Ardija 4 Tokyo Verdy 1 FC Tokyo 2 Oita Trinita 0 Kawasaki Frontale 0 Kyoto Sanga 2 Vissel Kobe 1 Urawa Reds 2 Kashima Antlers 0 Gamba Osaka 2 Niigata Albirex 0 Leading Positions Grampus P6 Pts 16 Antlers P6 Pts 15 Urawa P6 Pts 12 Marinos P6 Pts 12 Sanga P6 Pts 11 J2 In J2, Avispa Fukuoka under new coach Pierre Littbarski continue to struggle. The imported Australians in the team yet to settle. Sanfrecce lead the standings and hope to bounce back to J1 at the first time of asking. Avispa Fukuoka 1 - 5 FC Gifu Montedio Yokohama 1 Yokohama FC 0 Vegalta Sendai 1 - 1 Tokushima Vortis Mito Hollyhock 2 - 2 Roasso Kumamoto Sagan Tosu 1 - 1 Thespa Kusatsu Bellmare 1 - 0 Ventforet Kofu Sanfrecce Hiroshima 4 - 1 Cerezo Osaka Leading Positions Sanfrecce P6 Pts 14 Sagan P6 Pts 12 Bellmare P7 Pts 12 FC Gifu P7 Pts 11 Vegalta P7 Pts 11 Last week's J.League results and standings Bet with Bet 365 World Soccer News Soccer betting tips Soccer Books & DVDs Tags J-League Results

Sunday, 6 April Reigning J-League champions Kashima Antlers stay unbeaten with maximum points, followed by Nagoya Grampus, and Gamba Osaka. The largest crowd of the weekend, 27,866, saw Urawa Reds, improving under new coach Gert Engels , defeat Jubilo away. Only 7,339 spectators were in attendance for Ardija's 2-0 win at home over visiting Trinita. J1 Omiya Ardija 2 Oita Trinita 0 Iwata Jubilo 1 Urawa Reds 2 Kashima Antlers 4 JEF United 1 FC Tokyo 1 Sapporo Consodole 0 Nagoya Grampus 2 Yokohama F Marinos 0 Gamba Osaka 2 Shimizu S-Pulse 0 Vissel Kobe 0 Tokyo Verdy 1 Kawasaki Frontale 0 Kyoto Sanga 1 Kashiwa Reysol 0 Niigata Albirex 0 Leading Positions Antlers P5 Pts 15 Grampus P5 Pts 13 Gamba P5 Pts 10 J2 Thespa 1 Bellmare 2 Ehime FC 1 Sagan 2 Yokohama FC 1 Sendai Vegalta 1 Roasso 1 Montedio 2 Ventforet 3 Cerezo 2 FC Gigu 1 Sanfrecce Hiroshima 1 Leading Positions Sanfrecce P5 Pts 11 Sagan P5 Pts 11 Yokohama P6 Pts 10 Vegalta P6 Pts 10 Last week's J.League results and standings Bet with Bet 365 World Soccer News Soccer betting tips Soccer Books & DVDs Tags Soccer News soccer football J-League Betting

Sunday, 30 March The Antlers continue to dominate the League. They won over Yokohama with a late goal. Urawa came back strong, crushing Albirex at home. J1 Shimizu S-Pulse o Omiya Ardija 0 Gamba Osaka 2 Tokyo Verdy 1 FC Tokyo 3 Kyoto Sanga 3 Kawasaki Frontale 2 JEF United 0 Kashima Antlers 2 Yokohama F Marinos 1 Urawa Reds 3 Niigata Albirex 0 Kashiwa Reysol 1 Sapporo Consodole 2 Nagoya Grampus 2 Oita Trinita 1 Vissel Kobe 3 Iwata Jubilo 2 J2 Fukuoka Avispa 2 Ehime FC 0 Sagan 1 Roasso 1 Leading Positions Antlers P3 Pts 9 Vissel P3 Pts 7 Grampus P3 Pts 7 Trinita P3 Pts 6 F Marinos P3 Pts 6 FC Tokyo P3 Pts 5 Kyoto Sanga P3 Pts 5 Last week's J.League results and standings Bet with Bet 365 World Soccer News Soccer betting tips Soccer Books & DVDs Tags Soccer News soccer football J-League Betting

Saturday 15 March / 16 Sunday Urawa Reds 2-0 home defeat to Nagoya Grampus and the subsequent sacking of coach Holger Osieck is the big news in the J.League this weekend. Reds, under new coach Gert Engels , share bottom place on no points with Niigata Albirex and newcomers Consadole. Antlers, Trinita and F Marinos are the only three unbeaten teams with maximum points. In J2 Sanfrecce and Yokohama FC, both demoted from J1 last season, head the standings with maximum points from two fixtures. J1 Albirex Niigata 2 FC Tokyo 3 Oita Trinita 2 Kashiwa Reysol 0 Urawa Reds 0 Nagoya Gampus 2 Jubilo Iwata 3 Gamba Osaka 0 Consadole 1 Yokohama F Marinos 2 JEF United 1 Shimizu S-Pulse 2 Vissel Kobe 4 Kawasaki Frontale 1 Tokyo Verdy 0 Kashima Antlers 2 Kyoto Sanga 2 Omiya Ardija 1 Leading Positions Antlers P2 Pts 6 Trinita P2 Pts 6 Marinos P2 Pts 6 Vissel P2 Pts 4 Grampus P2 Pts 4 FC Tokyo P2 Pts 4 Kyoto Sanga P2 Pts 4 Last week's J.League results and standings Bet with Bet 365 World Soccer News Soccer betting tips Soccer Books & DVDs Tags Soccer News soccer football J-League Betting

Saturday 9 March / 10 Sunday Kashima Antlers' 4-0 thrashing of newly promoted Consadole sent out a strong message that the Ibaraki-based club is determined to defend its J-League crown in the new season. In the opening round's big clash Yokohama F Marinos edged rivals Urawa Reds 1-0. J1 Yokohama F Marinos 1 Urawa Reds 0 FC Tokyo 1 Vissel Kobe 1 Kawasaki Frontale 1 Tokyo Verdy 1 Gamba Osaka 0 JEF United 0 Shimizu S-Pulse 0 Oita Trinita 2 Nagoya Gampus Eight 1 Kyoto Sanga 1 Kashima Antlers 4 Consadole 0 Omiya Ardija 2 Albirex Niigata 0 Kashiwa Reysol 2 Jubilo Iwata 0 Leading Positions Antlers P1 Pts 3 Ardija P1 Pts 3 Reysol P1 Pts 3 Trinita P1 Pts 3 Marinos P1 Pts 3 Bet with Bet 365 World Soccer News Soccer betting tips Soccer Books & DVDs Tags Soccer News soccer football J-League Betting