Australia forward Josh Kennedy, who has not played since September due to injury, is poised to return for Nagoya Grampus, manager Dragan Stojkovic revealed on Tuesday.
Kennedy, who led the J. League in goals in 2010 and 2011, had surgery on his lower back in November. According to Stojkovic, the 31-year-old Australian will begin Wednesday's Nabisco Cup game against Oita Trinita on the bench.
Reysol, Bluewings end in 0-0 draw
KASHIWA, Chiba Pref.
KYODO
Kashiwa Reysol dropped their first points of the Asian Champions League as Nelsinho's men were held to a 0-0 draw by Suwon Bluewings in Group H on Tuesday.
Reysol, who had started their continental campaign with three straight wins out of the gate, can still qualify for the second round if Central Coast Mariners avoid defeat to China's Guizhou Renhe later Tuesday.
In Group F, Urawa Reds drew 2-2 away to Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors, who equalized in injury time.
At Kashiwa Stadium, the two continental heavyweights played out an evenly contested first half, after their meeting last week in Suwon resulted in a 6-2 victory for Kashiwa behind two goals apiece from Junya Tanaka, Ryoichi Kurisawa and Masato Kudo.
The Bluewings were counting on North Korea striker Chong Tese to inflict the kind of damage he used to inflict during his J. League days, but the former Kawasaki Frontale man had a quiet night before taking a seat on the bench in the 57th minute.
