Soccer Topics

Honda doubtful for final qualifier

Honda doubtful for final qualifier

Keisuke Honda became the nation’s hero last week after sending Japan through to next year’s World Cup with an injury-time penalty against Australia. But the CSKA Moscow man may have paid a price as he has been unable to train with the team since the 1-1 draw to Australia at ...

Jun 15, 2013

Frustrated Lee leaves Tokyo

Southampton striker Tadanari Lee fired a thinly veiled parting shot at FC Tokyo coach Ranko Popovic on Friday, saying he was leaving because he was unhappy at a lack of playing time during his loan spell with the J. League club. “I felt like ...

Kashiwa earn draw with Hiroshima

May 30, 2013

Kashiwa earn draw with Hiroshima

Kashiwa Reysol toughed out a 0-0 draw at champions Sanfrecce Hiroshima to pick up their first point in three matches in the J. League on Wednesday night. Junya Tanaka had the best chance when he hit the woodwork late in the first half but ...

Reds hit Reysol for six

May 27, 2013

Reds hit Reysol for six

Yosuke Kashiwagi and Marcio Richardes both scored twice as Urawa Reds burst Kashiwa Reysol’s bubble with a 6-2 thrashing in Tokyo in the J. League on Sunday. Genki Haraguchi and Ryota Moriwaki also got their names on the scoresheet as Reds brought Reysol back ...

Sanfrecce rack up third straight victory

May 26, 2013

Sanfrecce rack up third straight victory

by Andrew Mckirdy

Sanfrecce Hiroshima stepped up the defense of their J. League title with a comfortable 2-0 win over Shonan Bellmare on Saturday. First-half goals from Yojiro Takahagi and Mihael Mikic at Shonan BMW Stadium Hiratsuka were enough to secure the three points for the defending ...

Sekizuka targets survival with Jubilo

May 21, 2013

Sekizuka targets survival with Jubilo

New Jubilo Iwata manager Takashi Sekizuka was introduced to the media by the struggling J. League first division club on Monday. Sekizuka, who steered the Japanese men’s team to a fourth-place finish at last summer’s London Olympics, will take charge following Saturday’s away game ...

May 21, 2013

J. League mulling huge calendar shakeup

The Japanese soccer calendar could be due for a huge shakeup in 2014, with the Emperor’s Cup final being moved to December and the J. League possibly going back to the two-stage system it abandoned nine years ago. The Japan Football Association decided on ...

May 20, 2013

Sekizuka named Jubilo manager

Jubilo Iwata on Sunday named Japan’s London Olympic coach Takashi Sekizuka as the first-division club’s new manager. Sekizuka returns to club management for the first time since leaving Kawasaki Frontale in 2009 and will take charge for Iwata’s league game away to fellow strugglers ...

Antlers thump Grampus as Zico watches on

May 19, 2013

Antlers thump Grampus as Zico watches on

Kashima Antlers swept past Nagoya Grampus 3-1 in the J. League on Saturday in the presence of the club’s legendary architect Zico. Yasushi Endo, Atsutaka Nakamura and Yuya Osako scored for Antlers, who are in fourth after seizing the matchup that helped launch the ...

May 18, 2013

Striker Wilson to complete suspension this weekend

Vegalta Sendai striker Wilson will serve out the remainder of his two-match ban for Saturday’s away game to Yokohama F. Marinos after being sent off in the Asian Champions League, the J. League said Friday. Wilson was handed the ban by the Asian Football ...