J-League week 3

Only in the third week of the J-League season, the action has already picked up with a series of close fought matches and surprising upsets.

Defending champions Kashima Antlers beat Sanfrecce Hiroshima 2-1 with a last minute goal by Blue Samurai Shinzo Koroki. Oswaldo de Oliveira’s men opened the scoring quarter of the hour as Masashi Motoyama found the back of the net however the visitors squared the match sixteen minutes into the new half as Bulgarian international Ilian Stoyanov converted from the spot. Looking to be headed for a draw Shinzo Koroki scored from the spot in added time.

Albirex Niigata maintained its first place status with a scoreless draw to Ōita Trinita. Niigata came close to winning the match as Marcio Richardes free-kick in the opening half stung the post but otherwise both sides played tough defending and limited chances.

Niigata manager Jun Suzuki noted his pleasure with the draw following the match:

“I think a point away to Oita is as good as it gets. Both teams had chances from set pieces and the wings in the first half but I thought we controlled more of the game in the second half and defended well when they countered.”

JEF United Ichihara-Chiba stubbornly denied Kawasaki Frontale a victory in route to a 1-1 draw. Tatsuya Yazawa scored only a minute into the match as he latched onto the a deflected Koki Yonekura and sent it into the net. Shimpei Takeda side swarmed Chiba’s end with Kazuhiro Murakami and Juninho both hitting the bar but at the fifty-eighth minute Juninho found the back of the net as he struck from the edge of the area.

Hisashi Kato’s Kyoto Sanga defeated Gamba Osaka 2-1. Korean international Lee Jung-Soo headed-in Diego’s corner just before the break gave Kyoto the 1-0 lead. Diego doubled the margin ten minutes into the half from the spot on a very debatable penalty judgement. Gamba showed little fight coming back in what was definitely an “off-match” however they drew within one with fourteen minutes left as Shinichi Terada opportunistically sent a rebound in. Energized by the goal Gamba poured forward and came close to leveling with Yasuhito Endō header but could not find the much needed goal.

Following the match Kyoto manager Hisashi Kato expressed his pleasure with the victory:

“I am honestly delighted to take three points off Gamba Osaka, the Asian champions and top of the table team. Our own way of playing is emerging little by little.”

Omiya Ardija and Vissel Kobe left it late to score in route to a 1-1 draw. Veteran Takayuki Yoshida found the mark for Kobe on the hour before Naoki Ishihara opened his scoring account for Omiya as he dove to head-in a corner.

Urawa Red Diamonds disappointing start continued with a 1-1 draw to Jubilo Iwata, who were run off the pitch in their opening two matches. Red Diamond manager Volker Finke went in the match with an aggressive stance but it was Iwata that took the lead thirty three minutes in with Gilsinho’s goal. Urawa was able to level with Edmilson’s goal with twenty-two minutes left but it was Iwata that nearly stole the match as Gilsinho sent a shot off the post late.

FC Tokyo defeated Montedio Yamagata 1-0 with Japan international Naotake Hanyu scoring the lone goal four minutes before the hour from Cabore’s provision.

In the highest scoring match of the weekend Yokohama F Marinos and Kashiwa Reysol fought to a 3-3 draw. After Yokohama Kenta Kano and long-term Japan international Yuji Nakazawa opened the scoring within the first twenty minutes, Reysol’s Kóta Sugiyama brought one back two minutes before the break. However Kazuma Watanabe restored the two goal margin quickly thereafter. After the break França scored six minutes past the hour before Popo leveled the match with four minutes remaining

Nagoya Grampus defeated Shimizu S-Pulse 3-1. Dragan Stojković’s side took the lead just before the half-hour when play-maker Yoshizumi Ogawa provided Davi’s to close out and doing the same with thirteen minute left for Keiji Yoshimura goal. S-Pa got back into the match four minutes later as Japan international Shinji Okazaki headed the ball in. However Davi added his second of the night and fourth of the young season as he scored from the spot in added time.

Category: J League News

Tags: J League News

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