J-League week 4

By: 21 | April 6th, 2009

Albirex Niigata continued their unbeaten streak as they defeated troubled Yokohama F. Marinos 2-1 on a last gasp goal by Kisho Yano. After Marcio Richardes gave the host side Niigata the lead eight minutes before the break as he headed in Gilton’s cross, Yuzo Kurihara squared the match three minutes before the hour. However in added time Cho Young Cheol sent a cross than Kisho Yano sent in for the victory.

Kashima Antlers defeated Kyoto Sanga 2-1 in a stunning late come from behind victory at home. Diego Basto gave the visitors the lead near the hour before Ryuta Sasaki brought the match level five minutes before time with Shinzo Koroki setting it up with a cross. Koroki returned to score the winner in added time.

Kawasaki Frontale upended Nagoya Grampus 3-1 in front of their home fans. Júnior leveled the match for the visitors from Yusuke Mori’s provision a minute after Magnum had scored from Grampus midway of the half. Hiroyuki Taniguchi gave Frontale the lead on the half hour with North Korean international Chong Tese adding a insurance goal just past the hour.

Urawa Red Diamonds defeated Oita Trinita 1-0 at Saitama Stadium with an own goal by Masato Morishige two minutes before the half as the decider. However the match will be best known for the debut of much heralded youth product Naoki Yamada for the Red Diamonds and the return of Alessandro dos Santos to the lineup. The eighteen year-old Yamada put in a scintillating performance and is likely to maintain his spot in Urawa’s midfield. Ōita was hampered with the losses of Yasuhito Morishima, Yoshiaki Fujita, Daiki Takamatsu, Roberto and Ueslei and were not able to break down the disciplined Urawa play.

Gamba Osaka and Sanfrecce Hiroshima to a 2-2 draw in Osaka. Akira Nishino’s Gamba took the lead as Korean international Cho Jae-Jin, ex of Jeonbuk Hyundai, four minutes before the half hour. Issei Takayanagi brought the match level for Hiroshima ten minutes later with Japan international Hisato Satō equalizing for Mihailo Petrović’s side two minutes before the break. Fellow Blue Samurai Yasuhito Endo leveled the match three minutes into the half as he converted from the spot.

Kashiwa Reysol and Omiya Ardija fought to a 2-2 draw in front of Reysol supporters in a stunning finish. Thirty year-old veteran Masahiro Koga gave the home side the equalizer in added time as he headed Popo’s cross just after Tomoya Uchida had scored for Ōmiya a minute before regulation. França, formerly of Bayer 04 Leverkusen, had opened the scoring for Reysol nine minutes after the break before Taishi Tsukamoto goal from a free-kick canceled it out three minutes later.

FC Tokyo rebounded after a tough start as Shingo Akamine scored with seven minutes remaining to give the Gas Men a 1-0 victory over host side Jubilo Iwata.

Masaru Akiba gave the home side Montedio Yamagata a 1 – 0 victory over JEF United Ichihara-Chiba with his goal at the eighty seventh minute of the match.

Shimizu S-Pulse defeated Vissel Kobe 1-0 as Blue Samurai Shinji Okazaki scored for S-Pa three minutes past the hour.