WORLD CUP: Colombia party on as Japan dumped out
GROUP C JAPAN 1-4 COLOMBIA TUESDAY 24TH JUNE – CUIABA Two distinct styles, only one winner. Colombia progressed to the last sixteen thanks in large part to James Rodriguez’ mesmerising second […]
GROUP C JAPAN 1-4 COLOMBIA TUESDAY 24TH JUNE – CUIABA Two distinct styles, only one winner. Colombia progressed to the last sixteen thanks in large part to James Rodriguez’ mesmerising second […]
GROUP C JAPAN 0-0 GREECE THURSDAY 19TH JUNE – NATAL Greece fell down to ten men just before half time as Katsouranis got two bookings. But Japan lacked the enthusiasm […]
GROUP C IVORY COAST 2-1 JAPAN SUNDAY 15TH JUNE – RECIFE A below par Japan were ultimately undone by familiar deficiencies, namely their complete inability to defend cross balls, but […]
Japan are no longer the newcomers on the big stage. Having qualified for every world cup since their first appearance in France 98 Japan are starting to stamp themselves as […]
Matchdays 9 & 10 fell in Golden Week in Japan, the period at the end of April containing several public holidays. Over 300,000 spectators took advantage of the free time […]
150,000 spectators watched the J1 action at the weekend and 42,000 of them were in Osaka to see Cerezo and Gamba share four goals in a thrilling derby (report […]
There has been a profoundly negative mood around Urawa Reds since a small section of their fans displayed a racist banner at the Saitama stadium last month. Last weeks defeat […]
Forlan scores first league goal, Reds draw with S-Pulse in an empty stadium, and Frontale dismantle FC Tokyo in the Tamagawa Classico. Kashima Antlers 0-2 Cerezo Osaka While it is […]
Early season shadows cast over J1 Anyone who has more than a passing familiarity with Japanese football invariably has good things to say about it. Anyone with the patience to […]
Reigning champions Sanfrecce Hiroshima won 1-0 away to Cerezo Osaka today in the J-League curtain raiser, courteousy of a fine second half volley from defender Tsukasu Shiotani. All the attention was on Cerezo’s […]
As football slowly takes on greater significance in the Japanese national character, the sporting public await the seasons curtain raiser on Saturday, in the hope that 2014 will bring the […]
The intoxicating lunacy of the J League was on display at the weekend, as yet again, the top three teams failed to gather maximum points. Like punch drunk boxers at […]
Matchday 30 in the J1 title race concluded on Sunday evening with five teams still able to win the title, mathematically at least. In reality, the 2013 champions are likely […]
Another exciting weekend in Japan ended with Yokohama F Marinos and Urawa strengthening their title challenge by defeating closest rivals Sanfrecce Hiroshima and Kashima Antlers respectively. Cerezo Osaka and Kawasaki […]
With six matches of the J1 campaign remaining, it is now a four way fight for the title. Three points separate Sanfrecce Hiroshima, Yokohama F Marinos, Urawa Reds and Kashima […]
The J-League resumed at the weekend following the international break as twenty seven goals were spread across nine games, with late winners, big crowds and yet another surprising sequence of […]
Alberto Zaccheroni’s men continued their preparations for the 2014 World Cup with wins over Guatemala and Ghana during the international break. With four wins from their last five matches the […]
Occasionally, J1 can take on the appearance of a competition that no one wants to win. However, the inability of any of the top clubs to break clear of the […]
A busy few days of action in Japan culminated in Yokohama F Marinos reclaiming top spot while the bottom three descend ever closer to the J1 trapdoor. Round 22 – […]
ROUND 21 FC TOKYO 0-2 YOKOHAMA F MARINOS Yasuhiro Higuchi’s men ended the weekend at the top of the J1 table for the first time since April, thanks to a […]
ROUND 20 Verdenik sacking overshadows brilliant Kakitani (Omiya Ardija 0-3 Cerezo Osaka) Omiya Ardija’s bewildering decision to relieve coach Zdenko Verdenik of his duties in the aftermath of this defeat […]
ROUND 19 In the latest instalment of the most unpredictable and eccentric league on planet football, Ventforet Kofu ended a gargantuan losing sequence with a 1-0 away victory over Cerezo […]
ROUND 18 Featured Match Sanfrecce triumph to move three points clear Sanfrecce Hiroshima 3-1 Omiya Ardija Sanfrecce frontman Naoki Ishihara returned to haunt his former club with a hat trick […]
South Korea 1-2 Japan Olympic Stadium, Seoul – Attendance – 47, 258 Yoichiro Kakitani scored twice on Sunday to defeat hosts South Korea and claim the East Asian Cup for Japan. […]
For the second match in succession Japan’s promising young forwards scored three times against regional rivals, this time emerging victorious by the odd goal in five against Holger Osieck’s Australian […]
Alberto Zaccheroni’s experimental team began their East Asian cup campaign with a 3-3 draw against an experienced China side at the Seoul World Cup stadium in South Korea, having led 3-1 […]
ROUND 17 Featured Match Urawa Reds 2-3 Yokohama F Marinos National coach Alberto Zaccheroni watched on as Yokohama F Marinos emerged victorious from an eventful contest in Saitama, the visitors […]
ROUND 16 / SATURDAY 13th JULY 170,000 spectators flocked to stadiums all over the country on Saturday to witness goals, upsets and last minute winners in the latest installment of Japans premier football […]
ROUND 15 / WEDNESDAY 10th JULY Omiya extend lead at the top to five points Omiya Ardija kept their cool on a hot and humid evening in Japan to remain […]
The domestic game in Japan awoke from a six week slumber at the weekend with a respectable sprinkling of goals. As small pockets of fans from various clubs protested against […]
Goals, goals, goals once again in the Confederations Cup as Brazil and Italy even though they have already progressed into the semi-finals before tonight’s game exchanged a six-goal battle which […]
ITALY 4-3 JAPAN Some terrible refereeing by Argentine Diego Abal helped Cesare Prandelli’s Italy defeat Japan 4-3 in a game they did not really deserve to win. The Italians performed a second-half […]
BRAZIL 3-0 JAPAN Poster-boy of the tournament, Neymar, kicked off the Confederations Cup in style with a stunning volley to opening the scoring in Brazil’s 3-0 win over Japan on […]
In the usual prelude for the next year’s World Cup, the Confederations Cup hits Brazil launching on next Saturday 15th June. Since 2005, the Confederations Cup tournament has been held […]
Japan became the first country to qualify for next summer’s World Cup in Brazil with a 1-1 draw against a plucky Australian side on Tuesday. A last minute penalty converted […]
———— Korea Republic 2 (Keun-Ho Lee 60, Heung-Min Son 90) Qatar 1 (Ibrahim 64) Heung-Min Son scored in the sixth minute of injury time for Korea Republic to beat Qatar […]