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Kashima Antlers are back atop the Meiji Yasuda J1 League after hosting a thrilling 4-4 draw with Sagan Tosu that saw three goals fly into the net in second-half stoppage time.As the clock hit 90 minutes, Kashima trailed Sagan 3-2, but scored twice to take the lead before Masaya Tashiro's equalizer seven minutes into time added on earned a point for the…

Matchweek 15 brought some midweek madness to the Meiji Yasuda J1 League and a change at the top of the table. Here’s all the action:Kawasaki Frontale 0, Shonan Bellmare 4This all-Kanagawa battle went Shonan’s way in stunning fashion as the relegation-threatened side obliterated the defending champions, 4-0, taking them off the top of the table. Kashim…

There’s no way around it: It’s been a difficult start to the season for Vissel Kobe. Bottom of the table after 14 games, Andrés Iniesta and his team are desperate for a way out of the relegation zone, particularly after a difficult 2-1 loss last weekend to Shonan Bellmare, who are fellow candidates for the drop.Despite their troubles, Vissel are still a goo…

Can Sanfrecce keep up their surge?Sanfrecce Hiroshima are one of the hottest teams in the league, having lost just one of their last nine matches. That terrific run of form has taken them into the top four and put them firmly into the title race.This week, the Viola travel to a Gamba Osaka side that lost to rivals Cerezo last week and remains struggling wit…

The top of the Meiji Yasuda J1 League table got a massive shake up on Saturday as all of the top five teams dropped points.Four draws and a loss dealt blows to all the teams who fancied themselves title contenders coming into the week, but there was a bright side for one club - Sanfrecce Hiroshima, who are now squarely in the elite pack.While everyone else …

Another Meiji Yasuda J1 League matchweek is in the books and it featured some serious surprises. Here’s all the action …Sagan Tosu 0, Kawasaki Frontale 0Frontale struggled to break down Sagan’s typically excellent defense and were dealt a blow in the 82nd minute when Shogo Taniguchi was shown a red card, forcing them to settle for a draw. Urawa Reds 1…

The best attack in the Meiji Yasuda J1 League will have a go at the best defense in the competition this weekend when Yokohama F·Marinos visit Avispa Fukuoka.Marinos’ 26 goals on the year are five more than any other club, giving them unquestionably the top attack through the season’s first 13 weeks. They have scored multiple goals in an astonishing 69% of …

The Meiji Yasuda J1 League is back for Matchweek 14! Let's break down some storylines...Osaka Derby timeIt's derby day once again in Osaka, with Gamba and Cerezo meeting on the Sakura's home turf this weekend.The two clubs match up equal on 17 points this season, part of a glut of teams in the top 10 who are within striking distance of the to…

The final day of the 2022 J.League YBC Levain Cup Group Stage brought fights for the top two places in all four groups. Only those eight teams would advance to the Play-Off stage and continue their pursuit of the prestigious trophy Who came through the final-day fight?Group AKashima Antlers are going through as the top team in the group after thrashing Gamb…

Sanfrecce Hiroshima surged in April and manager Michael Skibbe has been duly rewarded with the J1 Manager of the Month award.The Viola went undefeated, winning their first three contests via clean sheet, including a 2-0 win against Yokohama F·Marinos. Sanfrecce added to this by rounding out the month with a pair of 2-2 draws, as Skibbe’s side showcased some…

Kyoto Sanga F.C. forward Peter Utaka has been named the Konami Monthly MVP for the month of April after scoring four goals that took him to the top of the Meiji Yasuda J1 League goalscoring chart.Utaka notched his quartet of goals in three matches, finding the net in a 1-1 draw against Gamba Osaka, then scoring twice in a win over Sagan Tosu, before scoring…

There was big action at the top and bottom of the table as Andrés Iniesta shone in a big win for Vissel Kobe in the relegation zone, while Kashima Antlers won convincingly to retain first place. Let’s check out all the Matchweek 13 action …Kashima Antlers 4, Hokkaido Consadole Sapporo 1Consadole hadn’t allowed a goal in five games, but Kashima tore them apa…

Kashima Antlers may be the Meiji Yasuda J1 League leaders, but a heavy loss for René Weiler’s men last weekend in Hiroshima has them in desperate need of a bounce-back performance in Matchweek 13.That’s no small task with a visit from Hokkaido Consadole Sapporo on tap - a team who have not allowed a goal in their current five-match unbeaten run.Consadole ha…

Sagan still lurkingSagan Tosu may not have been near the top of the table all season long, but they have been incredibly hard to beat. They have lost just one match so far this campaign, and while they would certainly have liked a few of their seven draws to have been wins, their ability to get something out of nearly every match is paying off.No team in th…

The AFC Champions League clubs returned to Meiji Yasuda J1 League action this week, but it was the slaying of table-topping Kashima Antlers that grabbed headlines. What went down in Matchweek 12?Sanfrecce Hiroshima 3, Kashima Antlers 0Yoshifumi Kashiwa scored twice as Sanfrecce put Kashima on their heels in a spectacular performance that rocked the league’s…

Another month is here and so is a new slate of global broadcasts airing on the official J.League International YouTube channel.In addition to a featured match from the 2022 J.League YBC Levain Cup, the arrival of May brings six localized broadcasts for Tokyo Verdy fans in Indonesia to enjoy — the first of which was seen earlier this week as superstar Pratam…

A year ago, a match between Yokohama F·Marinos and Nagoya Grampus would be one of the most anticipated in the entire Meiji Yasuda J1 League calendar, with the mighty Marinos attack and the fearsome Grampus defense a thrilling clash of styles between two of the best teams in the league.This season, only one of those clubs still fits the bill.Despite the depa…

We're back for another matchweek in the 2022 Meiji Yasuda J1 League. Here's what to keep an eye on...Welcome back, AFC Champions League clubsFour Meiji Yasuda J1 League clubs have been absent from the competition for the last few weeks due to playing in the AFC Champions League group stage, but they return to domestic action this weekend. Three te…

Kashima Antlers still stand atop the table after another win, but there’s a new team in third place and there was a shocking thumping of F.C.Tokyo. Find out what went down in Matchweek 11...Kashima Antlers 3, Júbilo Iwata 1Back in first place after a win last week, Kashima thumped Júbilo on the strength of Ayase Ueda’s sixth and seventh goals of the season.…

Matchweek 11 is here in the 2022 Meiji Yasuda J1 League. Let's take a look at three things to keep an eye on...Welcome to the title race, F.C.TokyoThe title race seems to grow by the week and the newest team in the mix is F.C.Tokyo.After a win over Gamba Osaka in a spectacular scene at the National Stadium, FCT travel to Avispa Fukuoka hoping to extend…