A title race down to the wireAs the Meiji Yasuda J1 League enters its penultimate week, the title race is down to two teams: Yokohama F·Marinos and Kawasaki Frontale.And in this week, we could see Marinos crowned the champions or Frontale take over first place, making for an enthralling run to the finish.The Tricolor sit two points clear of Frontale with tw…

Sanfrecce Hiroshima are the J.League YBC Levain Cup champions, dispatching Cerezo Osaka, 2-1, following an epic comeback with two stoppage-time goals from Pieros Sotiriou.Cerezo were minutes away from winning the final, but Sanfrecce showcased some spectacular fight to win the tournament for the first time in club history.The first half didn’t provide many …

The 2022 J.League YBC Levain Cup will be decided on Saturday when Cerezo Osaka and Sanfrecce Hiroshima clash at the Japan National Stadium.The two dominant clubs in this year’s cup have advanced to the final, replete with spectacular attacks that are poised to put on a show in the competition’s ultimate match.Cerezo got here after making their way out of Gr…

Yokohama FC are returning to the Meiji Yasuda J1 League in 2023, sealing second place in J2 this season after going five points up on third place with only one match to play.Yokohama’s rise was paced by Koki Ogawa, whose 24 goals lead J2 by an astonishing eight tallies. He’s been the most ruthless finisher in the division and promotion is due in large part …

Ventforet Kofu may be in the second division of Japanese professional football but they are now the Emperor's Cup champions.The Meiji Yasuda J2 side, who beat four top flight teams to make it to the Emperor’s Cup final, finished their amazing Cinderella run by defeating a fifth, Sanfrecce Hiroshima, to win the first major trophy in club history after a…

Tomoki Iwata’s terrific September has earned him KONAMI Monthly MVP honors.Iwata helped Yokohama F·Marinos to an undefeated month, leading the back line as they allowed just three goals in five matches. Iwata also added a goal in a 2-2 draw with F.C.Tokyo to start September, helping the Tricolor inch closer to the Meiji Yasuda J1 League title.Iwata is the t…

J.LEAGUE has decided on the general outline of the 2022 J.LEAGUE Awards. From this season, J.LEAGUE is adding new individual awards for J2 LEAGUE and J3 LEAGUE players, namely Player of the Year, Best Eleven Players, and Goal of the Year. J.LEAGUE will also hold J.LEAGUE Awards ceremonies for the award winners of each league.The 2022 J.LEAGUE Awards for J1 …

The title race in the Meiji Yasuda J1 League is going to be must-see TV in the last two matchweeks after Kawasaki Frontale cut Yokohama F·Marinos’ lead to just two points on Wednesday.Frontale beat Kyoto Sanga, 3-1, with ease thanks to early set-piece offense. Shogo Taniguchi scored on the second ball in from a corner just six minutes in, then Kento Tachiba…

Yokohama F·Marinos entered the weekend with a chance to win the title, but it was not to be. The title fight continues for at least one more week, while the battle at the bottom of the table has picked up pace. Let’s round up Matchweek 32!Yokohama F·Marinos 0, Gamba Osaka 2Marinos needed a win to have a chance to win the title, but Gamba went to Yokohama an…

Albirex Niigata are on their way back to the top flight!After five seasons in the second division, Albirex have clinched promotion to the Meiji Yasuda J1 League and will be playing among the best teams in all of Japan come 2023.Albirex earned promotion with a dominant 3-0 win over Vegalta Sendai on Saturday. The victory put them 12 points clear of third pla…

Kawasaki Frontale’s bid for an unprecedented fifth Meiji Yasuda J1 League title in the last six seasons is down to its final gasps, while Shimizu S-Pulse are fighting just to stay in the top flight as the two teams clash in a contest that has massive, but very different, stakes for each.Frontale trail Yokohama F·Marinos by eight points for the top spot in t…

Will Marinos clinch the title?Yokohama F·Marinos enter the weekend eight points clear of Kawasaki Frontale and Sanfrecce Hiroshima with four matches to play, giving them a chance to clinch the title this weekend.If the Tricolor win and both Frontale and Sanfrecce drop points, Marinos will be crowned champions for the first time since 2019.Yokohama host a Ga…

This year's Emperor's Cup final is set after Ventforet Kofu and Sanfrecce Hiroshima triumphed in two thrilling semi-final ties on Wednesday.J2 club Ventforet will continue their magical run in the competition after they toppled Kashima Antlers, 1-0. A 37th minute goal from Jimma Miyazaki sent the second division side on their way, with Niki Urakam…

Yokohama F·Marinos won again, but the biggest result in their title chase came up north, where Hokkaido Consadole Sapporo put the Tricolor on the brink of becoming champions. Let’s check in on that and the rest of the action from Matchweek 31.Nagoya Grampus 0, Yokohama F·Marinos 4Nagoya entered in good form, but Marinos were too much as they rolled to victo…

Match schedule and Venue updatedMatch details for the 2022 J.LEAGUE ASIA CHALLENGE in Thailand have been updated as follows. Further details on broadcasting and ticketing information to be announced when determined.■ Competition Name: 2022 J.LEAGUE ASIA CHALLENGE in THAILAND■ Organizer: Japan Professional Football League (J.LEAGUE), Thai League■ Partners: T…

It's been a trying campaign for both Vissel Kobe and Avispa Fukuoka, as both sides come face-to-face in Matchweek 31, desperate to avoid a pull further toward relegation danger.Vissel and Avispa have both spent time in the drop zone this season, but wins last time out ensured they would sit outside of the bottom three for this clash. They are not yet s…

Frontale try to chase down MarinosKawasaki Frontale’s quest to win a third straight Meiji Yasuda J1 League title and their fifth in the last six years comes down to the last five matches. They are five points back of Yokohama F·Marinos, which means they will require nothing short of excellence down the stretch to lift the trophy once again.Frontale’s final …

Taichi Fukui will be the next Japanese starlet to join a European powerhouse, with Sagan Tosu agreeing to transfer the 18-year-old to Bayern Munich in January.The Kanagawa-born Fukui came through the Sagan academy, where he has primarily played with the U-18 team, but his talents earned him call-ups to the senior side in both the league and the J.League YBC…

Japan picked up a win and a draw in the final international window before the 2022 FIFA World Cup and Meiji Yasuda J.League stars current and past led the way for the Samurai Blue.Japan opened the window with a 2-0 win over the United States. Hajime Moriyasu, a Sanfrecce Hiroshima legend as player and manager, picked a starting lineup that consisted of two …

Cerezo Osaka and Sanfrecce Hiroshima are the last teams standing in the J.League YBC Levain Cup and will play for the coveted crown in the final on October 22nd.Cerezo put on a second-leg masterclass to win their semi-final, crushing Urawa Reds, 4-0, to book their place at the Japan National Stadium in a month's time, while Sanfrecce Hiroshima outlaste…