Takeshi Okada honours J-League with selection
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For followers of domestic play, it is with great pride to note that Takeshi Okada choice’s for the Blue Samurai’s Asian Cup qualifying matches against Yemen on January 20 and Bahrain on January 28 as well as the crucial World Cup qualifying match against Australia on February 11 is made up entirely of J-League players.
For the upcoming matches he has selected the following players:
Goalkeepers—Yoshikatsu Kawaguchi (Jubilo Iwata), Ryota Tsuzuki (Urawa Reds), Eiji Kawashima (Kawasaki Frontale)
Defenders—Shuhei Terada (Kawasaki Frontale), Kazumichi Takagi (Shimizu S-Pulse), Yuichi Komano (Jubilo Iwata), Yuki Abe (Urawa Reds), Yosuke Ishibitsu (Vissel Kobe), Hiroki Mizumoto (Kyoto Sanga), Masato Morishige (Oita Trinita), Atsuto Uchida (Kashima Antlers)
Midfielders—Kengo Nakamura (Kawasaki Frontale), Takeshi Aoki (Kashima Antlers), Kohei Kudo (JEF United Chiba), Hiroyuki Taniguchi (Kawasaki Frontale), Takashi Inui (Cerezo Osaka), Mu Kanazaki (Oita Trinita), Shinji Kagawa (Cerezo Osaka)
Forwards—Seiichiro Maki (JEF United Chiba), Tatsuya Tanaka (Urawa Reds), Shinji Okazaki (Shimizu S-Pulse), Shinzo Koroki (Kashima Antlers)
For followers of Japan’s World Cup efforts, please visit me at the Japan World Cup blog.
Category: J League News
Shandong Luneng, Shanghai Shenhua, Beijing Guoa’n and Tianjin Teda ready!
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The AFC Champions League promises to be one of the strongest in recent competition. Of the many formidable clubs, the four sides from the Chinese Super League (CSL) promise to be some of the toughest. Led by last years league champions Shandong Luneng, Shanghai Shenhua, along with Beijing Guoa’n and Tianjin Teda, participants from the CSL will prove out to be difficult challengers.
Each of the clubs are actively involved in training at present (Shandong Luneng pictured), including friendlies against top flight from Russia.
Shandong Luneng Deputy General Manager Cui Faqiang echoed this when he said:
“We are happy with the draw but considering our domestic and overseas challenges, our players need to be in the best physical condition. We are preparing for the tournament through training camps and a series of friendlies.”
Tianjin Teda Deputy General Manager Mu Jianxin recognized his clubs first time in the competition but gave reason for his fans to hope:
“This is the first time we will be playing in the ACL and we have a lot to learn,” said Mu. “Tianjin are in a tough group but I believe the team has a lot of fighting spirit. A good show in the ACL will also positively impact our domestic campaign.”
However Shanghai Shenhua manager Guo Guanggi expressed it best when he noted the importance of the competition to the domestic game.
“The 2009 ACL set-up sets new standards for the teams and match organisation,” said Guanggi.
“The four cities of the clubs are major cities of China and hopefully if we get through the first stage our cities will get international recognition. This will increase the value of football in our cities.”
Please stop back for expanded coverage of the AFC Champions League!
Category: J League NewsGamba Osaka continue to build adding Kazumichi Takagi
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Gamba Osaka continue to build on their squad as they have added Kazumichi Takagi from Shimizu S-Pulse. The twenty-eight year defender earned his first cap for Japan this past summer and will make a strong impression on Gamba’s backline.
Category: J League News2009 AFC Champions League draw results
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The results for the 2009 AFC Champions League draw are in with Nagoya Grampus, Gamba Osaka, Kashima Antlers and Kawasaki Frontale finding themselves in tough pools. Group F is one of the most exciting pools Gamba Osaka against Chinese Super League champions Shandong Luneng. The Jinan based club feature a number of top players including Li Jinyu, Zhou Haibin and Cui Peng. Coached by former FK Partizan leader Ljubiša Tumbaković, they play a tactically sound brand of Football and are ready to break through to the next stage.
Group A
Al Hilal (KSA)
Pakhtakor (UZB)
Al Ahli (UAE)
Saba Battery (IRN)
Group B
Persepolis (IRN)
Al Shabab (KSA)
Al Gharafa (QAT)
Play-off winner 1
Group C
Al Jazira (UAE)
Esteghlal (IRN)
Al Ittihad (KSA)
Umm Salal (QAT)
Group D
Bunyodkor (UZB)
Al Shabab (UAE)
Sepahan (IRN)
Al Ettifaq (KSA)
Group E
Ulsan Hyundai (KOR)
Newcastle Jets (AUS)
Beijing Guoan (CHN)
Nagoya Grampus
Group F
Gamba Osaka
FC Seoul (KOR)
Sriwijaya (IDN)
Shandong Luneng (CHN)
Group G
Shanghai Shenhua (CHN)
Kashima Antlers
Suwon Bluewings (KOR)
Play-off winner 2
Group H
Central Coast Mariners (AUS)
Tianjin Teda (CHN)
Kawasaki Frontale
Pohang Steelers (KOR)
The first round of matches will be played on March 10 and 11 and I will be reporting on all groups, including those outside of the J-League.
Category: J League NewsGamba Osaka raids Leandro from Vissel Kobe
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The lineup for Vissel Kobe’s new manager Caio Júnior continues to change as Corinthians-product Leandro has moved over to Gamba Osaka. The twenty-three year old striker had a solid impact in his first year at Kobe, lodging seven goals.
The new manager who came over from Brazilian powerhouse Flamengo lost Blue Samurai Yasuhito Okubo to VfL Wolfsburg yesterday for a rumoured price of €2m. In one of his first moves, he brought in Brazilian midfielder Alan Bahia on-loan from Clube Atlético Paranaense.
Category: J League NewsVissel Kobe loses Yasuhito Okubo to Bundesliga
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Vissel Kobe were dealt a difficult blow to there attack as Blue Samurai Yasuhito Okubo moved to Bundesliga club VfL Wolfsburg. The twenty-six year old striker was highly productive for Vissel Kobe, scoring twenty-five times since coming over from Cerezo Osaka but has been anxious to test his abilities in European competition. VfL Wolfsburg manager Felix Magath contends that he has scouted the striker for quite some time and impressed with his skills he sought to have join fellow Japanese international Makoto Hasebe on the squad.
Finishing tenth in the J-League table, new manager Caio Júnior who has come over from Rio de Janeiro’s Flamengo is forced to re-build his striking group. In a surprise move, after spending his entire career at Kawasaki Frontale, Kazuki Ganaha moves to Kobe.
Category: J League NewsAFC Champions League 2009 draw this Wednesday
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The AFC Champions League 2009 draw will be held this Wednesday morning in Dubai (7am GMT) with thirty-two teams from ten countries eligible.
The group stage contains eight pools of four clubs each in which two sides from the same country cannot be in the same pool. Groups A-D will feature West Asian and Central Asian clubs while Groups E-H will comprise East Asian and Asian clubs respectively.
Following a round-robin style competition, the top two clubs, will progress to the round of 16, which will be a single knockout style tournament. The quarter finals will use a home and away with the final match in Tokyo.
AFC Champions League Participating Clubs
Main competition
J-League (Japan)
Kashima Antlers
Gamba Osaka
Kawasaki Frontale
Nagoya Grampus
Australia (two teams)
Central Coast Mariners
Newcastle Jets
China (four)
Shandong Luneng
Shanghai Shenhua
Beijing Guoan
Tianjin Teda
Indonesia (one)
Sriwijaya
Iran (four)
Persepolis
Esteghlal
Sepahan
Saba Battery
Korea Republic (four)
Suwon Bluewings
Pohang Steelers
FC Seoul
Ulsan Hyundai
Qatar (two)
Al Gharafa
Umm Salal
Saudi Arabia (four)
Al Hilal
Al Shabab
Al Ittihad
Al Ettifaq
United Arab Emirates (three)
Al Shabab
Al Ahli
Al Jazira
Uzbekistan (two)
Bunyodkor
Pakhtakor
Play-off competition
Dempo (India)
PSMS Medan (Indonesia)
Armed Forces (Singapore)
Provincial Electricity Authority (Thailand)
Al Sharjah (UAE)
Category: J League NewsGamba Osaka win Emperor’s Cup!
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In a thrilling Emperor’s Cup finale, Gamba Osaka defeated Kashiwa Reysol 1-0 with Ryūji Bando scoring the matches lone goal deep into extra time. The match was deadlocked with yet a score when the veteran came off the bench to score with only four minutes remaining of extra time as he drove the rebound of his own shot into the net. In leading up to the winning strike Blue Samurai Yasuhito Endo dealt young midfield Shu Kurata from the left before providing Ryūji Bando a chance for glory. While his initial shot was blocked he reacted quickly to send the ball home.
The goal concludes a challenging season for the veteran, which was marred with injuries. Graciously after the match, the goal-scorer said:
“My coach [Akiro Nishino] told me ‘you could be the hero today’ when he put me on, so I was thinking nothing but scoring a goal.
“I’m so glad I responded to the expectation from our manager and would like to become a better player who can score consistently.”
The victory provides Gamba the opportunity to defend their AFC Champions League crown along with other J-League representatives Kashima Antlers, Kawasaki Frontale and Nagoya Grampus.
Category: J League NewsKashiwa, Gamba for final of Emperor’s Cup
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Gamba Osaka and Kashiwa Reysol will meet in the finals of the Emperor’s Cup as both sides won thrilling semi-final matches.
Reysol came from behind to defeated FC Tokyo 2-1 as Tadanari Lee scored the winning strike at the eighty-eight minute. After a thrilling J-League season that saw the Gas Men climb to sixth-place, Tatsuya Suzuki extended their hopes for the Emperor’s Cup as he gave them the lead just past the half-hour mark. However Reysol stormed back with França leveling the match with twenty-two minutes remaining off the provision of compatriot Alex before Tadanari Lee’s winner.
Gamba Osaka defeated Yokohama F. Marinos 1-0 with a late goal Masato Yamazaki with four minutes remaining in extra-time. Deadlocked without a score after regulation, the F. Marinos were forced to play a man down when Norihisa Shimizu was sent off with his second yellow-card twelve minutes into extra-time.
Kashiwa Reysol and Gamba Osaka will now decide the Emperor’s Cup with the final played at the National Stadium in Tokyo on New Year’s Day.
Category: J League Newssemi-finals of Emperor’s Cup set
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With Gamba Osaka’s 2-1 quarter-final victory over Nagoya Grampus the semi-finals of The Emperor’s Cup is set. On Monday evening (local) Kashiwa Reysol will play FC Tokyo in Shizuoka while Gamba face Yokohama F. Marinos in Tokyo in the other semi’s. Of the remaining clubs, none has won the Cup although Yokohama’s predecessor clubs, pre-merger “Marinos” and “Flügels”, hoisted hardware in 1992 and 1993 respectively.
Category: J League News
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