There's some catching up to do again, in the shape of brief coverage of the Nabisco Cup Quarter Finals, plus Japan's two recent friendly games against Latin American opposition. And with new coach Alberto Zaccheroni watching, interim national team coach Hiromi Hara gave a total of twenty players the opportunity to impress against Paraguay on Saturday and Guatemala on Tuesday. Anyone who watched the World Cup Quarter Final with Paraguay will be unsurprised to learn that the first half of the rematch in Yokohama was similarly tedious, the visitors perhaps just shading it on account of the influence of Lucas Barrios.

But the Japanese began to take control after half time and although the Blue Samurai defence was hardly at its best, overlapping full-backs Yuto Nagatomo and Atsuto Uchida contributed to the stretching out of shape of the Paraguayan back line. And so it was midway through the half that, thirty yards out and dead centre, Kengo Nakamura sliced open the defence with a straight through ball for Borussia Dortmund's former Cerezo Osaka starlet Shinji Kagawa to fire in the only goal of the game. Things were just a little shaky in the closing stages, but overall it was a deserved victory for Hara's team.

Down to Osaka on Tuesday for a meeting with Guatemala, in which two early goals from Takayuki Morimoto of Catania suggested that a rout was on the cards. It didn't exactly pan out quite like that and there was again some cause for concern in the Japan defence, as Guatemala pulled one back soon after Morimoto's second. In the end that was the last of the scoring, meaning that Hara won both his games in charge but more importantly gave Zaccheroni a first-hand view of potentially key new players such as Kagawa, his former team-mate at Cerezo Takashi Inui and Hajime Hosogai of Urawa Reds.

Domestically, as with last week's first leg ties, there wasn't much doubt as to the best of Wednesday evening's Nabisco Cup Quarter Final second leg matches. Kawasaki Frontale drew level on aggregate with Kashima Antlers when Yusuke Tasaka finished off a superb 31st-minute passing move, but seconds later Mitsuo Ogasawara curled in a half volley for Kashima. And despite extensive Kawasaki pressure it looked as if the Antlers were heading through until eleven minutes from time, when Kengo Nakamura tied things up on aggregate with a scorching shot and Vitor Junior then stole it for Frontale two minutes from time.



Wet but very perky, it's Juninho and Vitor Junior of Kawasaki Frontale

Nabisco Cup Quarter Finals Second Leg

Gamba 1-2 Hiroshima 2-2 on agg, Hiroshima won on away goals
Sendai 0-0 Jubilo 1-2
Kawasaki 3-1 Kashima 4-3
S-Pulse 0-0 FC Tokyo 1-1, S-Pulse won on away goals

Phew, well, blimey. So after all the thrills of the Emperor's Cup and the two international games and the Quarter Finals of the Nabisco Cup, this weekend it's back to the J-League - and unusually, the highlight looks set to be in J2, where the main challengers for the third promotion spot at last come face to face. JEF United, relegated from the top division for the first time last year, have occupied that very position in the standings for most of the season, but on Sunday take their dodgy away record to Kyushu and the team who have in recent weeks moved to within just a couple of points of them, Avispa Fukuoka.

This is a match which surely represents Avispa's best opportunity to stake a serious claim for promotion back to J1 since relegation at the end of 2006. The intervening period has seen the Wasps pretty seriously under-achieve and indeed they were not considered to be among the pre-season favourites this time, either. But coach Yoshiyuki Shinoda, who rather surprisingly held on to his job after taking Fukuoka to a lowest-ever eleventh place finish in 2009, has this year put together one of the strongest defences in the division and has also got himself a decent source of goals, too, in midfield duo Genki Nagasato and Kosuke Nakamachi.

In J1, current leaders Nagoya Grampus go to Montedio Yamagata and will probably expect to pick up a victory while they're there, although we really ought to pause for a tip of the hat to the very modestly-sized Montedio's impressive results in what is only their second season in the top division. Level in second place but now some five points behind Grampus, Cerezo Osaka and Shimizu S-Pulse both have a decent chance of winning against Sanfrecce Hiroshima and Omiya Ardija respectively, while at the bottom Kyoto Sanga if they want to survive will surely have to beat Vissel Kobe.

So after I went on about it so much in this weekend's preview, how did the crunch J2 game between Avispa Fukuoka and JEF United turn out? Well, in fact it turned out absolutely fantastically well. In-form Fukuoka were keen to hype the trousers off the match as part of their current Stop The Yellow marketing campaign - both JEF and Avispa's forthcoming opponents Kashiwa Reysol play in shirts of that particular hue - and pulled in a respectable crowd of just over 12,000 as a result. But those fans could hardly expected such a dramatic beginning and conclusion to the ninety minutes.

For as early as the eighth minute, JEF took a sensational lead when defender Ryota Aoki strode forward and lashed a shot past Avispa keeper Ryuichi Kamiyama from forty yards. The home side fought back, but met with a resilient defence and indeed the visitors had several opportunities to extend their lead. Nine minutes from time, however, the equaliser came when Yusuke Tanaka fired in through a crowded penalty area and with the supporters urging Fukuoka forward through a sudden and intense flash storm, Hisashi Jogo displayed superb composure and technique to curl in a fantastic 87th-minute winner - and so place Avispa third in the table.

In J1, Nagoya Grampus are now seven points clear at the top after Keiji Tamada took advantage of a moment's hesitation in the Montedio Yamagata defence to nick a 1-0. The other big winners among the leading sides were Kashima Antlers, although even they only had a Koji Nakata goal to show for their game with Vegalta Sendai and got away a dead cert handball in the penalty area into the bargain. But that was enough to pull Kashima level with Cerezo Osaka, held at home by Sanfrecce Hiroshima while Shimizu S-Pulse remain fourth after crashing 3-0 at Omiya Ardija.

Mention should also be given to Yokohama F Marinos' excellent 3-1 defeat of Kawasaki Frontale in the Kanagawa Derby and the 2-1 win for Gamba Osaka at Albirex Niigata, results which pulled both Gamba and Marinos into the fringes of the title race at the expense of their opponents. At the bottom of the table, the big match was Vissel Kobe's visit to Kyoto Sanga and with Kobe having two players sent off in the second half as they chased a 1-0 deficit, Sanga rounded off their first league win since March with two injury time goals. Kobe coach Toshiya Miura in turn concluded a rotten evening by being sacked.



Avispa's Hisashi Jogo conducts a damp Hero Interview

J1 Scores & Standings @ Round 22/34

Cerezo 1-1 Hiroshima
FC Tokyo 0-1 Urawa
Jubilo 3-2 Shonan
Kashima 1-0 Sendai
Kawasaki 1-3 Marinos
Kyoto 3-0 Kobe
Niigata 1-2 Gamba
Omiya 3-0 S-Pulse
Yamagata 0-1 Nagoya

1. Nagoya 47 (+11)
2. Cerezo 40 (+17)
3. Kashima 40 (+14)
----------------
4. S-Pulse 39 (+10)
- - - - - - - - - -
5. Gamba 37 (+11)
6. Marinos 37 (+8)
7. Kawasaki 35 (+4)
8. Niigata 34 (+4)
9. Hiroshima 33 (-)
10. Urawa 31 (+6)
11. Yamagata 28 (-8)
12. Jubilo 27 (-7)
13. Omiya 24 (-5)
14. FC Tokyo 21 (-5)
15. Sendai 21 (-8)
----------------
16. Kobe 21 (-11)
17. Kyoto 14 (-19)
18. Shonan 14 (-22)

J2 Scores & Standings @ Round 25/36

Fukuoka 2-1 JEF
Gifu 1-0 Kitakyushu
Kashiwa 2-1 Toyama
Kumamoto 0-0 Mito
Oita 1-2 Sapporo
Okayama 1-2 Ehime
Tokushima 4-0 Tochigi
Tosu 1-2 Kofu
Yokohama FC 3-2 Verdy

Bye: Kusatsu

1. Kashiwa 55 (+29)
2. Kofu 49 (+17)
3. Fukuoka 43 (+22)
-----------------
4. JEF 42 (+21)
5. Tokushima 38 (+6)
6. Kumamoto 38 (-2)
7. Verdy 36 (+6)
8. Yokohama FC 33 (+4)
9. Tochigi 33 (+3)
10. Tosu 33 (+1)
11. Gifu 32 (-10)
12. Sapporo 30 (-2)
13. Ehime 29 (-5)
14. Oita 26 (-9)
15. Mito 26 (-10)
16. Kusatsu 23 (-14)
17. Toyama 20 (-18)
18. Okayama 19 (-18)
19. Kitakyushu 13 (-21)

It all seems to be very quiet in Japan Furtho, anything we need to know?

I'd like some news about the current All Japan High School Tournament. :D

Konnichiwa Mina-san

Regular reader but non-poster here. I have missed Furtho’s updates on here and as yesterday was the final Saturday of the J League season I thought I would put something together myself from my comfy armchair in downtown Nagoya Birmingham. No pictures I’m afraid.

As you all are probably aware, Nagoya Grampus wrapped up the J-League title several weeks ago. And I am sure several clubs in Europe will have noted Pixie Stojkovic’s success and wondered if he can follow in the footsteps of Arsene Wenger and Carlos Queiroz.

So the big issues at stake on the final weekend were the Champions League places and the final relegation spot (Kyoto Sanga and Shonan Bellmare having been relegated in early March).

Going into the final weekend FC Tokyo were one point ahead of Vissel Kobe with a superior goal difference, meaning that Kobe needed to win and hope that Tokyo didn’t. Kobe had the more tricky looking game away at Urawa Reds, whilst Tokyo had a trip to already relegated Kyoto.

However, Kobe had no trouble overcoming the Reds 4-0 and even better for them, their near neighbours Kyoto beat FC Tokyo 2-0 to send the gasheads down to J2 where they will renew rivalries with Tokyo Verdy, their co-tenants at the 50,000 capacity Ajinomoto stadium. All this means that the nation’s capital no longer has a team in the top division.

The other outstanding matters of the day were the Champions League places which went to the two teams from Osaka, Gamba and Cerezo.

Coming up from J2 next year will be Kashiwa Reysol, Ventforet Kofu and Avispa Fukuoka. Fukuoka’s promotion means that J1 will take place on more than one island again next year (with Fukuoka being on Kyushu).

Finally bottom of the table with just one win all season were new boys Giravanz Kitakyushu. But luckily for them there is no relegation.

Welcome aboard Doraemon, Furtho single handedly kept this thread alive so it may encourage him to have some other contributions and perhaps he can start posting again.

So just one more game left before this thread can be put to bed. The Emperors Cup, the Japanese equivalent of the FA Cup reached the semi-final stage this week. My understanding is that just like the FA Cup, this used to be considered compulsive viewing for the whole of Japan, but in recent years has lost some of its sparkle. Still there is an AFC Champions League place up for grabs as well as the chance for some silverware. Anyway the results of the semis were:

Shimizu S-Pulse 3-0 Gamba Osaka
FC Tokyo 1-2 Kashima Antlers (aet)

The final will be played on New Years Day in Tokyo.

I’m sure you have all been dying to find out what happened in the Emperors Cup Final, but didn’t know where else you could look. Well the game finished 2-1 to Kashima Antlers. I don’t know if there is an open top bus parade planned, but it certainly gives the Antlers something after what has been a disappointing season for the pre-season favourites. That means that Kashima get the final Champions League place for 2011.

Now Japan get ready for the Asian Cup and there is a couple of months break before season 2011 gets underway. If Furtho doesn’t start a ‘proper’ thread, I will try to knock out some irregular updates as the season progresses. Until then Ja mata!

Thanks for the post Doraemon and for letting us know.

Keep on posting.

Doraemon, I'm not planning on starting a 2011 thread, so if you fancy doing so then you'll be more than welcome.

My understanding is that just like the FA Cup, this used to be considered compulsive viewing for the whole of Japan, but in recent years has lost some of its sparkle. Still there is an AFC Champions League place up for grabs

You've got to hand it to Japan, once again they take a Western-developed idea, and immediately see how it should instantly be improved ...

Any reports on one Akihiro Ienaga, snapped up by Mallorca in this transfer window? In the squad for tonight's match at Osasuna.

Ienaga's timely stepping up to the plate is generally held to have been one of the main reasons why Cerezo Osaka actually improved in the second half of the 2010 J1 season, despite having sold star player Shinji Kagawa to Borussia Dortmund during the summer; Cerezo went on to finish third in their first season back in the top division after promotion. Previously Ienaga had had a trial at Plymouth Argyle, although it is unclear why he wasn't offered a contract there - either because Argyle under Paul Sturrock didn't think he was good enough, or because of work permit-related issues. God knows how he might get on in Spain.