Soccer News - mike tuckerman

All eyes on Chiba

Fri, 03 Oct 2008 04:09:34 +0000

All eyes will be on Chiba for the 28th round of the J. League as JEF United welcome Urawa Reds to the Fukuda Denshi Arena. A month ago JEF United looked certainties for relegation, but Alex Miller's men have launched a late bid for salvation as the Chiba Dogs chase their fifth straight win in this match. United have seen off Tokyo Verdy, Consadole Sapporo, Nagoya Grampus and Kyoto Sanga during that run of good form, and another win here could be enough to lift them out of the relegation/promotion playoff place. They'll have a determined Urawa Reds standing in the way, and after drawing 2-2 at home to Kyoto Sanga in a rescheduled Round 26 fixture in midweek, the Reds will be looking to keep the pressure on league leaders Kashima Antlers when they travel to a sold-out 'Fukuari' for this blockbuster Sunday-afternoon encounter. Relegation worries will be thick in the air on Sunday, with second-from-bottom Jubilo Iwata also desperate to take all three points off bottom club Consadole Sapporo at what should be a packed Yamaha Stadium in Iwata. Tokyo Verdy travel to second placed Nagoya Grampus, meanwhile, fresh off a 3-1 home defeat to Gamba Osaka. Thousands of free tickets were handed out for that clash at Ajinomoto Stadium, but the quizzical newcomers amongst the 30,517 fans who turned out are unlikely to return after an insipid display from the home team saw them drop to within a point of the relegation/promotion playoff place. In the pick of the Saturday fixtures FC Tokyo host Shimizu S-Pulse in what is always a keenly-contested affair, with the capital club still harbouring ambitions of claiming a first ever J. League title. Hiroshi Jofuku's men are in sixth place in the table - just four points behind current league leaders Kashima. Fifth placed Kawasaki Frontale will look to make up ground when they welcome second placed Oita Trinita to Todoroki Stadium, with Oita coach Pericles serving a touchline ban after being sent to the stands by referee Nobutsugu Murakami in Oita's most recent 1-0 defeat to Yokohama F. Marinos. Elsewhere Gamba Osaka take on Kashima Antlers at Expo '70 Stadium in Osaka with both teams having recorded victories in rescheduled fixtures in midweek, while strugglers Omiya Ardija and Kashiwa Reysol face off at Omiya Park in a match that could also have implications on the relegation race at the foot of the table. In J2 Sanfrecce Hiroshima have already been crowned champions, with Shonan Bellmare currently occupying the other automatic relegation place on goal difference from Montedio Yamagata, while Vegalta Sendai and Sagan Tosu sit a point further back, as the J2 promotion battle looks set to go down to the wire. AFC Champions League After Kashima Antlers were knocked out of the AFC Champions League by A-League outfit Adelaide United, defending Asian champions Urawa Reds and Gamba Osaka have been left to fly the flag for Japan. The two will meet each other in one semi-final, with Adelaide United facing off with Bunyodkor of Uzbekistan in the other semi-final. Security is likely to be tight for both legs of the Urawa - Gamba final four showdown, after serious crowd disturbances marred the league fixture between the Reds and Gamba at Saitama Stadium earlier this season. The semi-final first legs will take place on October 8, with the return legs scheduled for October 22. Japan name squad for World Cup qualifier Takeshi Okada has named his squad for Japan's upcoming World Cup qualifier with Uzbekistan at Saitama Stadium on October 15. Celtic star Shunsuke Nakamura joins VfL Wolfsburg midfielder Makoto Hasebe and Eintracht Frankfurt man Junichi Inamoto as a trio of European-based players called up, while youngster Shinji Kagawa of J2 outfit Cerezo Osaka has also been named. Young strikers Shinji Okazaki of Shimizu S-Pulse, Shinzo Koroki of Kashima Antlers and Oita Trinita target man Yasuhito Morishima have also been called up, and they will be looking to take advantage of the Blue Samurai's well-documented problems in front of goal when they join fellow Beijing Olympics team-mate Masato Morishige in the squad. Japan will take on the United Arab Emirates in a friendly at Big Swan Stadium in Niigata on October 9 in preparation for their final round World Cup qualifier with the Uzbeks. 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

Relegation rules in tense round of J. League

Fri, 19 Sep 2008 04:49:54 +0000

While five teams remain in the hunt for the 2008 J. League crown, several of the league's most recognisable clubs are in serious trouble at the wrong end of the table. There's an epic relegation six-pointer at Ecopa Stadium in Round 25, where three-times J. League champions Jubilo Iwata host another three-time champion in the form of Yokohama F. Marinos. Jubilo sacked coach Atsushi Uchiyama after a recent scoreless draw at home to JEF United and replaced him with veteran tactician Hans Ooft, but the Dutchman's second spell in charge of Jubilo got off to a shaky start when the Shizuoka outfit were beaten 2-0 away at Kyoto Sanga FC, with striker Gilsinho missing a penalty for the visitors. Yokohama F. Marinos also had a change of coach mid-season, but Kokichi Kimura is yet to find a winning combination after taking over from Takashi Kuwahara - ironically a former Jubilo man. Marinos needed a last-minute own goal from Leandro to eke out a 1-1 draw at home to Vissel Kobe last time out, and both teams will be desperate for the three points on offer, with Jubilo currently occupying the relegation/promotion playoff place on 26 points, as they look to leapfrog fifteenth placed Yokohama F. Marinos, who are on 27 points. Looking to make up ground on the promotion/relegation playoff place are JEF United. One of just six teams to have played every season in the Japanese top flight, the Chiba side gave themselves renewed hope of avoiding the drop by beating Tokyo Verdy 2-0 at home last weekend. Alex Miller's side may be second-from-bottom, but they take on last placed Consadole Sapporo in Hokkaido in Round 25, with Consadole yet to win a league game at their summer home Atsubetsu Stadium this season. Australian defender Eddy Bosnar remains confident that his team can stay up, and the Sydney-born stopper has made plenty of sacrifices for the cause, turning down an opportunity to represent his country in favour of focussing on his club's relegation dogfight. "He (Australia manager Pim Verbeek) wanted to give me a chance to get back into the squad and I didn't go back. I don't regret it at all. It is nice to play for the national team but JEF is the one that puts food on the table," Bosnar told The Japan Times. Elsewhere Shimizu S-Pulse will be forced to endure a nervy trip to the dilapidated Kobe Universiade Stadium, with Kenta Hasegawa's side sitting on 31 points for the season - the same total as Vissel Kobe. S-Pulse will be itching for revenge after a 1-0 home defeat to Kobe back in Round 16 prompted calls from furious Shimizu fans for Hasegawa to be sacked. At the other end of the table, league leaders Nagoya Grampus opened up a three point lead over Kashima Antlers last weekend when a Yoshizumi Ogawa strike was enough to see off Gamba Osaka at a packed Expo '70 Stadium. Grampus next host Albirex Niigata at Mizuho Stadium, with Dragan Stojkovic's side aiming for their first J. League title. There's a derby of sorts at Todoroki Stadium, where FC Tokyo will cross prefectural lines to take on neighbours Kawasaki Frontale. Last season Kawasaki handed out 5-2 and 7-0 thrashings to the team from just twenty kilometres up the road, but FC Tokyo gained a modicum of revenge by beating Frontale 4-2 in an ill-tempered affair at Ajinomoto Stadium earlier in the season, and Hiroshi Jofuku's side will be aiming to do the double over Frontale as they look to make up ground on the top five. The Saitama derby takes centre stage on Sunday, but unlike in previous seasons Omiya Ardija will not be giving up home advantage in this one. Omiya have angered city rivals Urawa Reds by opting to play this match at the newly renovated 15,300 capacity Omiya Park Stadium, instead of the 62,300 capacity Saitama Stadium - home of the Reds. That means thousands of Reds fans will be locked out of this clash, but with Omiya in no mood to do their bitter local rivals any favours, security for this fixture is likely to be tight in light of the crowd trouble that marred Urawa's home defeat to Gamba Osaka earlier in the season. In J2 relegated Sanfrecce Hiroshima are coasting to the title, having hammered second-placed Montedio Yamagata 4-0 last time out in front of 14,392 fans at Yamagata Park Stadium. Japan international Hisato Sato scored his nineteenth goal of a profitable season in that clash, as Hiroshima look set to return to the top flight at the first time of asking. Elsewhere Shonan Bellmare beat Yokohama FC 1-0 in a Kanagawa derby, while Kyushu outfit Avispa Fukuoka beat Shikoku side Tokushima Vortis 3-1, with on-loan Omiya Ardija defender Daiki Niwa opening the scoring, before former Japan youth-international Mike Havenaar and midfielder Kiyokazu Kudo added further goals for the home side. The pick of the action in Round 36 sees Vegalta Sendai entertain FC Gifu at Yurtec Stadium, while Cerezo Osaka host Montedio Yamagata at Nagai Stadium and Yokohama FC welcome Sanfrecce Hiroshima to Mitzusawa Stadium. Mixed results in the AFC Champions League It was a night of mixed results for Japanese clubs in the AFC Champions League, with the three sides sharing a win, a draw and a loss between them on September 17. Gamba Osaka came from a goal down to beat Syrian side Al Karama 2-1 in front of 17,000 fans at Khaled Ibn Al Waleed Stadium, with captain Satoshi Yamaguchi and substitute Masato Yamazaki scoring the vital goals for the Osakans. Kashima Antlers were held to a 1-1 draw by A-League side Adelaide United in steamy conditions at Kashima Stadium, where a pockmarked pitch seemed to aid Kashima, as Adelaide defender Robert Cornthwaite turned an Atsuto Uchida cross into his own net. That goal came after Adelaide skipper Travis Dodd had given the visitors the lead with a well-taken header, with Antlers striker Shinzo Koroki and United midfielder Paul Reid both missing good chances to score the winner. Defending Asian champions Urawa Reds went down 3-2 to Kuwaiti side Al Qadsia, with a double from Edmilson - including a goal in stoppage time, keeping the Saitama outfit in the tie. The return legs take place on September 24. Japanese players overseas Takayuki Morimoto : Catania Former Tokyo Verdy striker Takayuki Morimoto scored twice as Catania hammered Serie C side Padova 4-0 en route to booking a quarter-final showdown with Juventus in the Coppa Italia. Morimoto has fallen down the pecking order at Catania, but after his Coppa Italia goals coach Walter Zenga praised the young Japanese striker, telling reporters; "The plaudits must go to Morimoto for his two goals and I'm delighted for him because he is an honest and hard-working lad." Makoto Hasebe : VfL Wolfsburg Overnight ex-Urawa Reds midfielder Makoto Hasebe won a penalty converted by Grafite in VfL Wolfburg's 1-0 win over Rapid Bucharest in the UEFA Cup. Hasebe also played the full ninety minutes in Wolfsburg's most recent 2-2 Bundesliga draw away at Hertha Berlin. Shinji Ono : VfL Bochum Shinji Ono may have won a recall to the Japan squad, but the former Urawa Reds midfielder has struggled in the Bundesliga, with Ono coming on for the final fourteen minutes of VfL Bochum's most recent 2-0 win over Westfalen rivals Arminia Bielefeld. Shunsuke Nakamura : Celtic Japan star Shunsuke Nakamura recently declared his desire to return to the J. League in January, and the free-kick specialist came off the bench in Celtic's most recent 4-2 win over Motherwell in the league, before playing the full ninety minutes of Celtic's scoreless draw with Danish champions Aalborg BK in the UEFA Champions League in midweek. Daisuke Matsui : St Etienne Having joined St Etienne from Le Mans during the close season, Daisuke Matsui has settled in at the one-time European giants, playing the full ninety minutes of Les Verts' most recent 2-0 league defeat away at Caen. 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

Report cards are in as the J. League approaches its final term

Fri, 12 Sep 2008 06:48:05 +0000

With the international break yielding a positive result for Japan and the autumn leaves starting to make their first appearances on the tree-lined avenues surrounding the National Stadium, attention now turns to the business end of the J. League season. Five teams are still in with a genuine chance of lifting the trophy, but northern outfit Consadole Sapporo are certainly not one of them. News that the J. League is considering switching to a European-aligned, winter-based calendar will have gone down like a lead balloon in Sapporo, where Consadole habitually spend their summers in the open-air surrounds of Atsubetsu Stadium. The Hokkaido side have been luckless at their traditional summer home this season, and they currently sit bottom of the table, with last season's J2 champions set to make a swift return to the Second Division. Fellow northern outfit Albirex Niigata have also struggled in 2008. They may be the second-best supported team in the league - only Urawa Reds draw larger crowds - but Niigata have played some awful football under their eternally dour coach Jun Suzuki. Niigata surprised many by finishing sixth last season, but they could become embroiled in a relegation dogfight this time around, and the constant play-acting of striker Kisho Yano has won them few fans this season. On the other side of the country Ibaraki giants Kashima Antlers are involved in an almighty scrap as they look to retain their title. Oswaldo de Oliveira's men are a point behind league leaders Nagoya Grampus, with eternal rivals Urawa Reds also breathing down their necks. Like the Reds, Kashima also have an upcoming AFC Champions League quarter-final to contend with, and they will hope that Nagoya don't skip away while de Oliveira and his men are battling for continental glory. Urawa have played some good football this season without ever managing to shake off either Nagoya or Kashima. Coach Gert Engels has some serious concerns up front, where ex-Eintract Frankfurt striker Naohiro Takahara has proved a spectacular flop. Former Albirex Niigata man Edmilson has also failed to impress, and with last season's J. League MVP Robson Ponte having missed most of the campaign so far through a serious knee injury, Urawa have been forced to rely heavily on the injury-prone Tatsuya Tanaka for goals. City rivals Omiya Ardija have been one of the most inconsistent teams this season. They've pulled off some shock wins against the likes of Gamba Osaka and Kawasaki Frontale, but Omiya fans are the first to admit that the Saitama side have benefited from a kind fixture list. The redeveloped Omiya Park has failed to become the fortress that club officials were anticipating, and while the Squirrels currently sit in the top half of the table, the orange-clad outfit may ultimately succumb to their perennial relegation battle unless Slovenian giant Klemen Lavric starts scoring freely. Capital club FC Tokyo got off to a blazing start under the auspices of Hiroshi Jofuku, but the team from the blue half of the city have since fallen away - much to the annoyance of Tokyo's passionate fans. Former Gyeongnam FC striker Cabore was the top scorer in the Korean League last season, but the Brazilian has failed to replicate that success in Japan. He has scored just six goals in 23 league appearances for a disappointingly goal-shy outfit that looks destined to finish in mid-table. Masashi Oguro will hope to start scoring freely soon. The former Gamba Osaka striker was brought back from a painfully disappointing spell in Italian football with Torino, to line up for fellow capital side Tokyo Verdy. He replaced the departed Hulk - who is now at FC Porto - with Verdy having swapped a dreadful start to the campaign for the relative safety of mid-table. Packed with ageing former internationals, Verdy appear to have the experience to maintain their top flight status, not that anyone in the city appears to care; Verdy have attracted some of the lowest attendances in the J. League this season. JEF United can only dream of the security of mid-table. The Chiba outfit have been anchored to the relegation zone for the entirety of the campaign, with the arrival of coach Alex Miller in place of the sacked Josip Kuze failing to propel United up the standings. The Chiba Dogs were always going to struggle when they sold their five best players at the start of the campaign, but it nevertheless looks like being a sorry demise for one of just six J. League clubs to have played every season in the Japanese top flight, as United fans look set to welcome J2 football to Fukuda Denshi Arena next season. Prefectural rivals Kashiwa Reysol have carried on from where they left off last season, scrapping and scraping away with a mixture of strength and the occasional sublime. The return from injury of former Bayer Leverkusen front man Franca has helped, and with Japan Olympic striker Tadanari Lee up front Reysol always look a chance of getting on the scoresheet - particularly in front of their vociferous home fans - as Nobuhiro Ishizaki's team settles in for a comfortable mid-table finish. Kawasaki Frontale were tipped by many for a top-two finish this season, but things haven't gone particularly smoothly for the Kanagawa side. Striker Hulk was released after playing just three games for Frontale - who recalled him from a two-year loan spell in J2 - before coach Takashi Sekizuka stepped down due to health problems. Another striker in Kazuki Ganaha took the J. League to the Court of Arbitration for Sport in Geneva to have a wrongful doping suspension overturned, but despite the turmoil former assistant coach Tsutomu Takahata has managed to turn things around. Kawasaki are now poised to strike; they are lying in fifth place, just two points behind league leaders Nagoya. 2008 has proved nothing short of a disaster for Yokohama F. Marinos. The three-times champions were expected to challenge for the title this year, but instead they have spent most of the campaign hovering around the relegation zone. Coach Takashi Kuwahara was sacked and replaced by former technical director Kokichi Kimura, but he has failed to win over disgruntled fans with the Nissan-backed club still struggling near the bottom three. Calls of "they're too good to do down" will ring out for as long as the Tricolore are struggling, but it's been heard all before, as fans of current J2 leaders Sanfrecce Hiroshima will no doubt attest. Further south Shimizu S-Pulse have also endured a wretched season. The departure of former star striker Cho Jae-Jin has proved a bitter blow in Shizuoka; his replacement Marcos Aurélio has failed to score a single goal, despite being the highest-paid player at the club. S-Pulse have struggled to score goals in the absence of the talismanic Jae-Jin, and a season-ending injury to playmaker Jungo Fujimoto hasn't helped. The only bright spark for S-Pulse fans has been a run to the final of the League Cup, where more than 20,000 Shimizu fans are likely to descend upon the National Stadium to see whether Kenta Hasegawa's team can salvage something from what has been a bitter campaign. Hasegawa may count himself lucky to still be in employment. Last season it was two defeats in the Shizuoka derby that cost former Jubilo Iwata coach Adilson his job, but this time around officials at the Yamaha-backed club didn't even wait that long, as the axe finally fell on Atsushi Uchiyama with Jubilo Iwata dropping into the relegation/promotion playoff place. Highly experienced Dutch coach Hans Ooft has been called in for yet another spell in Japanese football - he knows the J. League well, and will be expected to lift the Shizuoka giants out of the bottom three come the end of the season. By contrast Tokai rivals Nagoya Grampus are enjoying a dream run. Long regarded as the archetypal "sleeping giant" of the J. League, fiery Serb coach Dragan Stojkovic - who is regarded as a legend in the city after his playing days at the club - has finally awakened the Toyota-backed outfit from their slumber. Nagoya are currently sitting atop the J. League, having duked it out in a slugfest with Kashima and Urawa so far. When Grampus are not being referred to as a "sleeping giant," they are often being labelled "eternal chokers," and while Grampus are looking good at the moment, doubts persist about their ability to maintain composure until the final day of the campaign. Gamba Osaka have endured a disappointing campaign that looks set to end with a mid-table finish. Injuries to key players haven't helped - Ryuji Bando has only just returned after missing most of the campaign - while the mid-season sale of star striker Baré to Emirates side Al-Ahli cost Gamba any hopes they had of winning the title. Baré has been replaced by former Yokohama F. Marinos striker Roni, but with talismanic midfielder Yasuhito Endo forced to endure a constant battle against Hepatitus-related fatigue, Gamba will need to conjure a dramatic late surge to have any chance of breaking into the top five. Kansai rivals Vissel Kobe have cemented their position as the draw specialists of the league. They've drawn nine times so far - more than any other team - and Hiroshi Matsuda's scrappy outfit continue to infuriate Kobe fans with their inconsistent form. In Yoshito Okubo and Leandro, Vissel Kobe possess one of the most explosive strike forces in the country. Unfortunately for Kobe's dwindling supporter base - most of whom lament the involvement of controversial Chairman Hiroshi Mikitani - Kobe's strikers are too often having an off-day, and with little creativity sprinkled throughout the rest of the ranks, Vissel look set to battle it out for another mid-table finish. Kyoto Sanga FC will be satisifed with a mid-table finish, having returned to the top flight after winning the promotion/relegation playoff against Sanfrecce Hiroshima last season. Some astute pre-season signings in the form of former Gamba Osaka man Sidiclei and ex-JEF United captain Yuto Sato have proved crucial, while the mid-season acquisitions of Hiroki Mizumoto and Fernandinho from Gamba Osaka and Shimizu S-Pulse respectively means that Hisashi Kato's side should have just about enough individual talent to retain their place in the top flight. Last, but certainly not least, is southern outfit Oita Trinita. Every season the J. League throws up a surprise package from left field, but few would have expected Kyushu outfit Oita Trinita to be in the midst of their best ever top flight campaign. Not only is coach Pericles' side currently sitting in fourth place in the league table, but they also booked a place in the League Cup final, where they will be aiming to win a first-ever trophy. Oita's astonishing turnaround from relegation candidates to potential title winners vindicates the patience of the club's back-room, who stood by Pericles last season when the Brazilian became embroiled in a tense relegation battle. Almost twelve months later the Brazilian tactician is short odds to win the "Coach Of The Season" award, and even if Oita do fall short in both the J. League and League Cup, they will rightly be remembered as the revelation of the season. In 2005, five clubs were still in the running to lift the J. League title on the final day of the season. That's a scenario that could be repeated in 2008, and while Consadole Sapporo and JEF United look dead-and-buried in the bottom two, there could be more relegation/promotion playoff thrills-and-spills as several of the J. League's biggest names look to escape the potential trapdoor that is sixteenth place. 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

Is Takeshi Okada the man for the job?

Thu, 04 Sep 2008 03:31:11 +0000

Takeshi Okada is a man under pressure. A poor showing in a recent friendly defeat to Uruguay and some unconvincing performances in the first round of World Cup qualifying has left many wondering whether the former international is the right man to guide Japan to the 2010 FIFA World Cup. Okada took over as Japan coach after Bosnian Ivica Osim suffered a tenure-ending stroke in November 2007. It's not the first time that the former Consadole Sapporo and Yokohama F. Marinos tactician has stepped in mid-campaign. With Japan in danger of missing out on qualification for the 1998 World Cup, Okada took over from the sacked Shu Kamo and guided the Blue Samurai to the finals in France. Three straight losses resulted in the sack, but a successful club career that saw him guide Marinos to back-to-back championships ultimately earned Okada a recall to the national team set-up. His second spell in charge got off to an inauspicious start in a dreary 0-0 draw with Chile in a friendly in Tokyo, and things haven't improved much since then. A 1-0 loss to Bahrain in Manama in World Cup qualifying sparked alarm bells, and ironically it's in the heat and humidity of Manama that Japan kick off the second round of qualifying against an increasingly familiar opponent. With Japan's form on the road decidedly shaky, player attitudes have come under scrutiny. Japan's Olympic campaign - where coach Yasuharu Sorimachi's team lost all three matches in the group stage - has led some to question whether Japanese players have the necessary hunger to compete on the world stage. Speaking to The Daily Yomiuri about the desire of his players, Okada said: "You have to think of something if you're trying to maintain that edge in a society like this, especially when they could be pampered." "It has to be primal, it has to come from within. You don't fight because you're being told to fight or because you think you have to. You have to want to beat your opponents, you have to want to win the ball back. You need that to win." Okada's decision to stress the importance of individual desire begs the question of why Kashima Antlers star Mitsuo Ogasawara continues to be overlooked. The 29-year-old is one of the most gritty characters in Japanese football, yet despite being capped some 53 times by his country, he has seemingly been made a scapegoat for Japan's early exit at the 2006 World Cup in Germany. Kashima team-mate Daiki Iwamasa is another who has struggled to capture Okada's attention, despite being at the heart of one of the best defences in the country. And while the Japan Football Association will point to the inclusion of Antlers youngster Atsuto Uchida as proof that Kashima players are not being deliberately overlooked, the feeling remains that Kashima are being punished for bestowing former star Zico on the national team as coach in 2006, with the Brazilian eventually hounded out of the job by a fiercely critical domestic press. Should Okada have succumbed to the whims of the JFA, it would mark an uncharacteristic departure for a man who in the face of severe pressure left the wildly popular Kazu Miura out of his 1998 World Cup squad. Thus the quietly-spoken 52-year-old will live and die by his player selections, and he will hope that his squad can grind out a result in Manama. With tricky fixtures against Uzbekistan, Qatar and Australia still to come, Japan can ill-afford to get off to a poor start in the second round of World Cup qualifying when they take to the pitch at the Bahrain National Stadium on September 6. 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

Is Takeshi Okada the man for the job?

Thu, 04 Sep 2008 03:31:07 +0000

As you were in the J. League as Kashima maintain lead

Mon, 18 Aug 2008 02:18:16 +0000

Kashima Antlers remain top of the J. League after thrashing Tokyo Verdy 4-1 in front of 21,437 fans at Kashima Stadium. Shinzo Koroki kicked off a routine victory for the defending champions, before Daiki Iwamasa powered home a header just before the break to hand the Antlers a commanding two-goal lead. Second half strikes from Marquinhos and substitute Takuya Nozawa completed the rout, although Verdy's Diego did manage to conjure a late consolation strike for the capital outfit. A bumper crowd of 37,154 turned out at Ajinomoto Stadium, however the home fans went home disappointed as Urawa Reds stole the points from hosts FC Tokyo. After Naohiro Takahara - twice - and Tatsuya Tanaka had hit the woodwork, midfielder Takahito Soma showed his strikers how it's done, beating the offside trap before volleying home in front of the travelling Reds army. High flying Oita Trinita continued their excellent run of form, as new signing Yasuhito Morishima scored his first goal for the club courtesy of some calamitous defending from hosts Albirex Niigata, who succumbed 1-0 in front of 38,781 fans at a steamy Big Swan Stadium. In the pick of the Sunday action Shimizu S-Pulse were held to a 1-1 home draw by Yokohama F. Marinos at a packed Nihondaira Stadium, with both teams eager to clamber away from the relegation zone. Marinos veteran Yuji Nakazawa opened the scoring with a textbook header from a corner, however S-Pulse responded with an almost carbon-copy of that goal just seconds after the restart, as defender Keisuke Iwashita stooped to head home Akihiro Hyodo's in-swinging corner. The visitors thought they had won it when Daisuke Sakata appeared to beat the offside trap and fire home with six minutes remaining, however his effort was ruled out for offside. Just four points separates leaders Kashima Antlers from fifth placed Kawasaki Frontale, with upwards of seven clubs still in the reckoning for the title. At the other end Consadole Sapporo have slipped into bottom place after JEF United recorded a 1-1 draw away at Kashiwa Reysol in the Chiba derby, with United now second-from-bottom and Yokohama F. Marinos occupying the promotion/relegation playoff place. In J2 the pick of the action saw two teams relegated from the top flight last season clash at Kose Sports Park, with Ventforet Kofu prevailing 2-0 over league leaders Sanfrecce Hiroshima thanks to goals from veteran midfielder Kentaro Hayashi and defender Arata Sugiyama, much to the delight of the 12,120 fans packed into Kofu's rustic home ground. In Sendai 17,537 fans turned out at a wet Yurtec Stadium, but the home fans left disappointed as surprise package Montedio Yamagata triumphed 1-0 thanks to Japan Olympian Yohei Toyoda's late strike. Sanfrecce Hiroshima lead the way in J2 from Montedio Yamagata, with Sagan Tosu currently occupying the promotion/relegation playoff place in third - with former J1 teams Shonan Bellmare, Cerezo Osaka and Vegalta Sendai a further four points back in the standings. J. League and Ekstraklasa swap referees Polish referee Marcin Borski was in charge of the recent clash between FC Tokyo and Urawa Reds at Ajinomoto Stadium, with the J. League participating in a referee exchange with Poland's Ekstraklasa. Going the other way is J. League referee Yuichi Nishimura, who landed himself in hot water earlier this season for allegedly telling Oita Trinita defender Taikai Uemoto "to die" during a match with FC Tokyo - an allegation that Nishimura, a full FIFA international referee, denies. The J. League has been plagued by questionable officiating in recent seasons, with Danish referee Nicolai Vollquartz called in to referee the clash between Jubilo Iwata and Urawa Reds at Ecopa Stadium last year. Japan bow out of Olympics Japan ended a disastrous campaign at the Beijing Olympics with three straight losses. After losing their opener 1-0 to the United States, Japan subsequently went down 2-1 to Nigeria and 1-0 to the Netherlands, as Yasuharu Sorimachi's much-vaunted team failed to pick up a single point in the tournament. Finishing was Japan's achilles' heel, with only Yohei Toyoda of J2 outfit Montedio Yamagata managing to find the net. Injuries and suspension also played their part, with dynamic full-backs Atsuto Uchida and Michihiro Yasuda both failing to finish the tournament, while Shimizu S-Pulse midfielder Takuya Honda was suspended for Japan's final group stage game. Far better has been the form of Nadeshiko Japan, with the women progressing to the semi-finals after knocking out arch-rivals China in their quarter-final thanks to goals from veteran Homare Sawa and striker Yuki Nagasato. 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

Cellar dwellers JEF United stun league leaders Kashima Antlers as J. League resumes

Sun, 10 Aug 2008 02:50:10 +0000

Bottom club JEF United stunned table topping Kashima Antlers as the J. League resumed following the week-long All-Star break, winning 3-1 at a packed Fukuda Denshi Arena in Chiba. Australian defender Eddy Bosnar opened the scoring for United with a thunderbolt free-kick just before half-time, but it was talismanic striker Seiichiro Maki who stole the show, steering home two superb headers after the interval. His goals made Masashi Motoyama's well-taken header redundant, as the Antlers paid the price for fielding an under-strength starting eleven. The win delighted United's Glaswegian coach Alex Miller, who paid tribute to his side's determination following a win that draws United level on points with second-from-bottom Consadole Sapporo. Elsewhere Urawa Reds were held to a 2-2 draw by Kashiwa Reysol in front of 46,981 fans at Saitama Stadium, with both teams scoring in the final minute of the game. Winger Minoru Suganuma opened the scoring for Reysol, however the Sun Kings were pegged back by an equaliser from Japan international Yuki Abe. Yuichiro Nagai looked to have handed Urawa all three points, however ex-Bayer Leverkusen striker Franca salvaged a point for Reysol as he came off the bench to equalise just seconds after Nagai's goal. High-flying Nagoya Grampus were beaten 1-0 at home by FC Tokyo in front of 12,269 fans at Mizuho Athletics Stadium, with former Heracles Almelo striker Sota Hirayama scoring the only goal of the game. In a day of upsets new Yokohama F. Marinos coach Kokichi Kimura registered his first win in the Japanese top flight as the Kanagawa outfit beat Gamba Osaka 2-1 in front of 24,711 fans at Nissan Stadium, with strikers Hideo Oshima and Daisuke Sakata scoring either side of a Takahiro Futagawa strike. Elsewhere in a full round of fixtures Consadole Sapporo were beaten 2-1 at home by Omiya Ardija, Tokyo Verdy hammered Albirex Niigata 4-0 at Ajinomoto Stadium, Oita Trinita clawed back a two goal deficit to draw 2-2 with Shimizu S-Pulse, Jubilo Iwata went down 1-0 to Vissel Kobe in front of a near-capacity crowd at Yamaha Stadium and Kyoto Sanga FC were also beaten 2-1 at home by visitors Kawasaki Frontale. League Cup semi-finalists decided The four Nabisco League Cup semi-finalists were decided after the second-leg of quarter-finals took place on August 6. Struggling Shimizu S-Pulse booked their place thanks to a pulsating 2-1 win over Kashima Antlers at Nihondaira Stadium, as defender Keisuke Iwashita and midfielder Akihiro Hyodo handed the Shizuoka side a commanding two-goal lead. Former S-Pulse striker Marquinhos pulled a goal back for Kashima, but despite battering the Shimizu defence late on, the Ibaraki outfit were unable to conjure a second goal that would have seen them claim an away-goal win, following a 0-0 draw in the first leg of this tie. Defending champions Gamba Osaka booked their place in the final four on away goals, losing 2-1 away at Yokohama F. Marinos but advancing thanks to their 1-0 win in the first leg in Kanazawa. Nagoya Grampus beat JEF United 1-0 in both legs of their quarter-final to book their place in the last four of the competition, while southern upstarts Oita Trinita are the final League Cup semi-finalist, having seen off FC Tokyo in the last eight. The semi-finals will take place on September 3 and 7, with Shimizu S-Pulse facing off against Gamba Osaka, while Nagoya Grampus take on Oita Trinita as the four sides aim to book an afternoon out at the National Stadium in Tokyo in November. Japan make losing start to the Olympics Yasuharu Sorimachi's under-23 side made a losing start at the Beijing Olympics, going down 1-0 to the United States in steamy conditions at Tianjin Stadium. Houston Dynamo midfielder Stuart Holden scored the only goal of the game just after half-time in front of over 57,000 fans in Tianjin, with Japan now needing to beat Nigeria in their next group game on August 10 to have any chance of progression to the knock-out stages. Meanwhile the Japan women's team were held to a 2-2 draw in their opening match against New Zealand, although they had to do things the hard way as Kristy Yallop and an Amber Hearn penalty sent New Zealand into a commanding two-goal lead. They were pegged back by an Aya Miyama penalty before Nadeshiko legend Homare Sawa equalised with four minutes remaining. The United States did the double over Japan when their women's team beat Nadeshiko Japan 1-0 on August 9, with Carli Lloyd scoring the only goal. Japan must now beat the already-qualified Norway by a large margin and hope that results elsewhere go their way to have any hopes of progressing beyond the group stage. 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

Marquee fixtures aplenty as the J. League heats up

Wed, 23 Jul 2008 05:26:43 +0000

Round 19 in the J. League could prove a turning point for several clubs with a number of marquee fixtures set down for the weekend of July 26/27. The pick of the Saturday fixtures see FC Tokyo host Yokohama F. Marinos at Ajinomoto Stadium, as teams from Japan's two largest cities get ready to rumble in the capital. After making an excellent start to the season FC Tokyo have fallen away of late, and substitute Shingo Akamine's last minute equaliser in their most recent 1-1 draw away at Kyoto Sanga FC followed heavy losses to both Urawa Reds and Kashima Antlers. Yokohama F. Marinos are worse off having recorded six straight losses, including two under new coach Kokichi Kimura, whose tactics and team selections appear to have baffled both Marinos players and fans alike. At Todoroki Stadium sixth placed Kawasaki Frontale host third placed Nagoya Grampus, with both teams coming off last start wins. Kawasaki came from behind to beat Urawa Reds 3-1 in front of more than 50,000 fans at Saitama Stadium, while Nagoya hammered Urawa's cross-town rivals Omiya Ardija 4-0 at Mizuho Athletics Stadium. Elsewhere on Saturday there's a nostalgia-filled clash between rivals of yesteryear Jubilo Iwata and Tokyo Verdy at Yamaha Stadium, while fourth placed Gamba Osaka host Oita Trinita at Expo '70 Stadium, with Gamba having recently announced plans to build a new 35,000 capacity stadium not far from their current home.

Kashima in the driving seat as J. League nears halfway mark

Tue, 15 Jul 2008 03:57:30 +0000

Kashima Antlers lead the way as the J. League nears its halfway point, with the defending champions in a familiar position atop the league standings. Kashima are the most successful club in Japan, and the Ibaraki giants have fired a resounding warning to the rest of the league by embarking on an ominous four-match winning streak. That run includes a 4-0 thrashing away at high-flying Nagoya Grampus and a similarly emphatic 4-1 win over FC Tokyo in Kashima's most recent clash. Urawa Reds are just two points behind their bitter rivals, however the Saitama side slumped to a 2-0 defeat away at Oita Trinita in their last match, going down courtesy of goals from Shunsuke Maeda and Ueslei. Third-placed Nagoya Grampus beat ambitious Kashiwa Reysol 1-0 courtesy of a clinical Frode Johnsen strike at Mizuho Athletics Stadium on July 12, while Gamba Osaka have roared back into contention after beating Kawasaki Frontale 2-1 in a hard-fought clash at Expo '70 Stadium, with Brazilian duo Lucas Severino and Bare making compatriot Juninho's goal for Kawasaki redundant. In the bottom half of the table second-from-bottom Consadole Sapporo thrashed bottom club JEF United 3-0 at the Fukuda Denshi Arena in Chiba, suggesting that JEF United fans had best start planning for J2 football next season. The Chiba side are hopelessly adrift at the bottom of the standings, some nine points outside the relegation/promotion playoff place and a further five points behind Consadole Sapporo - with the bottom two teams suffering automatic relegation. Just after the halfway point in J2 relegated Sanfrecce Hiroshima look odds on to bounce back to the top flight, with the Mazda-backed club seemingly streaking away in the division. The southern side are lying atop the standings some thirteen points in front of second-placed Cerezo Osaka, and having amassed 55 points from 24 games with a goal difference of +31, it would take a brave punter to bet against Hiroshima lifting the J2 title. Cerezo Osaka and Sagan Tosu are the nearest challengers, with surprise package Montedio Yamagata and Vegalta Sendai just a point further back. Newcomers Roasso Kumamoto have struggled with the transition to professional football. The Kyushu-based outfit prop up the standings in J2 having claimed just eighteen points, however fellow newcomers FC Gifu have fared better, having amassed 30 points so far to take them up to tenth place in the fifteen team-league. Coaching casualties mount Yokohama F. Marinos have sacked coach Takashi Kuwahara and replaced him with Kokichi Kimura, who steps into his first role as head coach in the J. League. Kuwahara's dismissal was widely anticipated, with the former championship-winning coach rumoured to be on the verge of the axe following Yokohama's recent 2-1 Kanagawa derby defeat to local rivals Kawasaki Frontale. A 1-0 home loss to Albirex Niigata at Mitsuzawa Stadium on July 13 was the final straw for club officials, who promptly terminated the contract of a coach who took over from the unpopular Hiroshi Hayano in January. Meanwhile struggling J2 outfit Avispa Fukuoka have sacked former World Cup winner Pierre Littbarski as coach and replaced him with Yoshiyuki Shinoda. Assistant coach and former Norwich midfielder Ian Crook and strength and conditioning coach Anthony Crea were also sacked, with the duo brought in from A-League side Sydney FC, whom Littbarski coached to the inaugural A-League crown. Sorimachi names Olympic squad Japan's quest to name a competitive squad at the 2008 Beijing Olympics reached farcical proportions when Gamba Osaka midfielder Yasuhito Endo was forced to withdraw due to complications related to a Hepatitis C infection. Endo was hospitalised recently after enduring a gruelling schedule for both club and country, but that did not prevent the Japan Football Association from attempting to name the talismanic Gamba Osaka midfielder as Japan's sole overage representative for the under-23 tournament. Endo's withdrawal comes hot on the heels of Vissel Kobe's refusal to release their star striker Yoshito Okubo for the competition. Kobe cited a persistent knee injury as their reason for refusing to allow Okubo to play in the Olympics, but sources suggest that the club were privately seething after the former Real Mallorca striker was named as Japan's likely overage representative without prior consultation with Kobe club officials. Japan will now feature a squad comprised entirely of under-23 players, however there was no room in coach Yasuharu Sorimachi's squad for Kashima Antlers defender Masahiko Inoha. Despite captaining the team throughout the qualifying campaign, the former FC Tokyo star has seemingly paid the price for a lack of football at new club Kashima. Two overseas-based players in VV Venlo's Keisuke Honda and Catania's Takayuki Morimoto were picked, while Cerezo Osaka teenager Shinji Kagawa and surprise package Yohei Toyoda of Montedio Yamagata represent J2's contribution to the squad. 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

History repeats as Japan draws Australia

Sat, 28 Jun 2008 11:06:54 +0000

If there was a sense of inevitability ahead of the draw for the final round of World Cup qualifying in Asia, neither Japan coach Takeshi Okada, nor Australia coach Pim Verbeek let it show. Both reacted casually when Japan and Australia were drawn together in Group A, along with Middle-Eastern sides Qatar and Bahrain and potential dark horses Uzbekistan. The two teams met in a classic 2006 FIFA World Cup encounter, in which the Socceroos came from behind to register a thrilling 3-1 group-stage win courtesy of a late Tim Cahill brace and an emphatic John Aloisi strike. In a statement released by the JFA, Japan coach Okada claimed that "(w)hen you think about the destinations and travel involved, it probably could have been worse." He is right. While Japan and Australia will both feel confident of booking one of the two qualification places available in their group, Group B of qualifying will cause nightmares for fans of Korea Republic, Iran, DPR Korea, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates - all of whom have at one time qualified for the finals of the World Cup. Nevertheless Japan and Australia will no doubt eye each other warily in the build-up to their two clashes, set down for February 2 in Japan and June 17 in Australia. While most Japanese fans were gracious in defeat following their team's catastrophic collapse in Kaiserlautern two years ago, scratch the surface of the average Blue Samurai supporter and a sense of injustice still lingers. Japan were just six minutes away from beating the Socceroos, with Zico's side wilting under the brutal summer sun at the Fritz-Walter-Stadion. Both Zico and Guus Hiddink are long gone from their adopted national teams, and an Australian outfit that has often been accused of technical deficiencies can no longer rely solely on their superior fitness levels to get them over the line. That was made abundantly clear when Japan beat Australia on penalties after a 1-1 draw in the quarter-finals of the 2007 Asian Cup. Looming large as a potential obstacle for both teams is Uzbekistan; a team studded with European-based players who also turned in an admirable performance at the 2007 Asian Cup. The Uzbekis will be looking to spring some upsets along the way in a 10-match qualification campaign, with the two third-placed finishers in each group squaring off against each other for the right to face the champions of Oceania in a winner-takes-all playoff. Both Japan and Australia will feel confident of avoiding that scenario, but with both sides itching for revenge and Australia looking to flex their muscle in their first ever Asian qualification campaign, the fledgling rivalry between the two countries could be set to boil over once again. 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

Summer holidays? Not in Japan

Thu, 26 Jun 2008 03:09:35 +0000

While the rest of the world has at least one eye on the European Championships, the domestic season resumed in Japan on June 25 when Kashima Antlers and Gamba Osaka hosted rescheduled Round 11 fixtures. In a season punctuated by World Cup qualifiers and the Beijing Olympics, Kashima and Gamba were forced to reschedule their Round 11 fixtures against Oita Trinita and Kyoto Sanga FC respectively, as the original match date clashed with AFC Champions League fixtures. Neither side was disadvantaged by the rescheduling, with both coming out 1-0 winners. Kashima were slightly fortunate to do so, winning courtesy of a solitary strike from substitute Danilo in front of a crowd of just 8,286 at Kashima Stadium. His stooping header cannoned in off the underside of the crossbar, after Oita had twice hit the woodwork through Roberto and Mu Kanazaki. In Osaka hosts Gamba triumphed in front of a healthy midweek crowd of 15,840 fans in a Kansai derby, with star midfielder Yasuhito Endo bursting on to an intelligent knock-down from striker Lucas Severino before stroking a pinpoint left-foot finish beyond Kyoto keeper Yuichi Mizutani. There is a full round of J1 fixtures on June 28/29, with the pick of the games featuring a clash between Shimizu S-Pulse and Kyoto Sanga FC - for whom ex-Shimizu midfielder Fernandinho is likely to feature just weeks after his loan move to Kyoto, Kashiwa Reysol host Urawa Reds in the unusual surrounds of the National Stadium in Tokyo, high-flying Nagoya Grampus host defending champions Kashima Antlers at Mizuho Stadium, while the pick of the Sunday fixtures sees FC Tokyo welcome regional rivals JEF United to Ajinomoto Stadium. While the First Division enjoyed a recent domestic break, J2 continues to grind on unabated. Relegated Sanfrecce Hiroshima look odds on to win the division; the Mazda-backed southern club are already ten points in front of nearest rivals Montedio Yamagata and Cerezo Osaka following the latest round of fixtures. In the pick of the June 28/29 action Hiroshima travel to surprise package Montedio Yamagata, bottom club Roasso Kumamoto host fallen giants Cerezo Osaka, Ventforet Kofu welcome in-form Shonan Bellmare to Kose Sports Park and Shikoku outfit Ehime FC welcome Kyushu strugglers Avispa Fukuoka to Ningineer Stadium. Japan National Teams Takeshi Okada's Japan ended the first round of World Cup qualification with a sluggish 1-0 win over Bahrain on June 22. Watched by 51,180 fans who braved incessant rain at Saitama Stadium, Okada's team failed to impress, with Sanfrecce Hiroshima striker Hisato Sato and Nagoya Grampus front-man Keiji Tamada cutting forlorn figures up front for the Blue Samurai. They were starting in place of the suspended Yoshito Okubo and the dropped Naohiro Takahara, but it was left to teenage defender Atsuto Uchida to score a fortuitous last-minute winner for Japan to take all three points. Japan had already qualified for the second round of World Cup qualifiers, and they will learn their opponents when the draw for the next round of qualifying is made at AFC House in Kuala Lumpur on June 27. Meanwhile the Japan under-23 team drew 0-0 with Cameroon at the National Stadium in Tokyo on June 12 as coach Yasuharu Sorimachi's side continues their preparations for the upcoming Beijing Olympics. 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

League Cup quarter-finalists decided in Japan

Mon, 09 Jun 2008 04:19:55 +0000

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.

In Japan, the women's game goes from strength to strength

Tue, 03 Jun 2008 04:42:57 +0000

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

Shimizu S-Pulse in cracking Nabisco Cup form

Thu, 29 May 2008 06:29:45 +0000

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

Plenty at stake before the J. League takes recess

Fri, 16 May 2008 02:58:04 +0000

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