Shonan Bellmare midfielder Shunsuke Kikuchi could miss the remainder of the 2016 MEIJI YASUDA J1 League season after suffering a serious injuring in training. The 24-year-old sustained damage to his right anterior cruciate ligament last week and could require eight months to recover fully. Kikuchi, who has made 30 appearances in each of the last two s…

FC Tokyo on Monday announced the release of striker Fran Sandaza. The Spaniard arrived in the capital last summer, but has yet to score a goal in a total of nine MEIJI YASUDA J1 League appearances. “I want to thank everyone for their support from the day I joined the club,” Sandaza said.  “I wanted to give my best for our fan…

Vissel Kobe were the biggest winners on Sunday in 2016 Yamazaki Nabisco Cup group stage action, earning a 4-1 victory over Kashima Antlers. Pedro Junior scored twice for the hosts, with Kazuma Watanabe and Takahito Soma also finding the back of the net.  Shuto Yamamoto managed a consolation for the visitors, who have started their title defence w…

As the 2016 J.League Under-16 Challenge League continues, teams from across the J.League’s three divisions will be joined by teams representing East and Southeast Asia beginning this week. South Korea’s Pohang Steelers, Thailand’s Chonburi FC, Vietnam’s PVF, Malaysia’s Frenz United and a squad from Cambodia’s National …

Yokohama F. Marinos winger Manabu Saito has been called up by Japan for their upcoming match against Syria, the Japan Football Association announced on Saturday. The 25-year-old replaces Kawasaki Frontale striker Yu Kobayashi, who was injured in Thursday night’s 5-0 win against Afghanistan. “It’s an incredible honour to be called up,…

Japan’s Under-23 side claimed a 2-1 win over reigning Olympic champions Mexico on Saturday morning in a friendly played in Portugal. FC Tokyo midfielder Shoya Nakajima scored the opening goal in the second minute of play. Red Bull Salzburg and former Cerezo Osaka midfielder Takumi Minamino doubled Japan’s lead in the 33rd minute. Makoto…

Roasso Kumamoto took the lead in the MEIJI YASUDA J2 League on Saturday with a 2-0 win at V-Varen Nagasaki, as Cerezo Osaka were held by Zweigen Kanazawa. Koki Kiyotake’s ninth-minute goal put the visitors in the lead just two days after his elder brother Hiroshi scored for the Samurai Blue against Afghanistan in a 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifier.&nb…

Vahid Halilhodzic hailed Japan’s “beautiful” 5-0 win over Afghanistan in 2018 FIFA World Cup and 2019 AFC Asian Cup joint qualifying, singling out Kashima Antlers striker Mu Kanazaki for praise. “It was a beautiful victory,” the Samurai Blue coach told reporters. “The players were brave, showed fantastic team spirit, a…

Yokohama F. Marinos on Friday unveiled Isac Doru as the club’s sporting director. The announcement marks the Romanian coach’s return to Japan for the first time since 2002, when he concluded his eight-year tenure with Nagoya Grampus as academy technical advisor and technical director. Doru, who most recently served as the coach for MLS sid…

Yokohama F. Marinos on Friday announced the signing of striker Martinus from Romania’s FC Botosani. The 25-year-old, who has also played in Netherlands and Hungary, has three international caps for Curacao and was previously called up for the Netherlands’ Under-18 selection. “Before coming to Japan, I was very impressed with the atmo…

The Samurai Blue took their next step toward the 2018 FIFA World Cup with a 5-0 win over Afghanistan on Thursday night at Saitama Stadium. The hosts dominated in the first half, but could not find a goal until Leicester City star Shinji Okazaki received Hiroshi Kiyotake’s pass, weaved around two defenders and struck a powerful shot past the goalkee…

Vahid Halilhodzic declared Japan’s have a duty to entertain fans ahead of their 2018 FIFA World Cup/2019 AFC Asian Cup joint qualifier against Afghanistan. The Samurai Blue are on course to qualifying for the world championships in Russia, but the coach has warned that they cannot afford to get complacent against their upcoming opponents. &ldquo…

Kashima Antlers’ Yamazaki Nabisco Cup title defence got off to a rough start on Wednesday with a 1-2 loss to visiting Ventforet Kofu in the group stage’s opening round. Australian midfielder Billy Celeski opened his account for the Yamanashi outfit after just six minutes, with Brazilian striker Nilson scoring at the start of the second half.&…

Defender Sho Sasaki has sustained a complete tear of his right anterior cruciate ligament, his club Sanfrecce Hiroshima has announced. The injury occurred in the late stages of Sanfrecce’s 5-1 win at Omiya Ardija when Sasaki was tackled by Ardija midfielder Tomonobu Yokoyama. The club is expected to announce a full recovery schedule following Sa…

The 2016 J.League Yamazaki Nabisco Cup kicks off on Wednesday, marking the 24th edition of the league’s top cup tournament. The competition, which began as the Japan Soccer League Cup in 1976, was first held under its current name in 1992 as a “debut” for J.League clubs ahead of the inaugural 1993 season.  Verdy Kawasaki (now To…

FC Tokyo on Sunday announced that midfielder Kento Hashimoto has been diagnosed with internal bruising to his left thigh muscle. The injury, sustained during Tokyo’s 0-2 loss at Kashima Antlers, will require two to three weeks of recovery time for the 22-year-old. Hashimoto has started in all four league fixtures for the Ajinomoto Stadium reside…

The Japan Football Association has announced Takuma Asano will not be included in the squad for the Japan Under-23 national team’s training camp in Portugal later this week. Kashiwa Reysol defender Ryosuke Yamanaka, Kawasaki Frontale midfielder Ryota Oshima and Sanfrecce Hiroshima’s Asano will not make the trip due to injuries sustained in th…

Sanfrecce Hiroshima and Urawa Reds both found full points on the road in the conclusion of the 2016 MEIJI YASUDA J1 League’s fourth round. At NACK5 Stadium, the defending champions ran rampant over Omiya Ardija in a 5-1 win. Nigerian striker Peter Utaka and Japan U-23 star Takuma Asano scored in the first half. Captain Toshihiro Aoyama, Yoshifum…

Cerezo Osaka continue to lead the 2016 MEIJI YASUDA J2 League after yet another narrow win. Yuzo Tashiro’s 90th-minute goal was enough for a 1-0 result at Montedio Yamagata, the fourth such scoreline this season for the Kincho Stadium residents. Second-place Kamatamare Sanuki continued their surprise start to the season with a 2-1 win at Thespa …

Kashiwa Reysol on Saturday announced the signing of Brazilian striker Dudu on a one-year loan. The 20-year-old, whose full name is Luiz Eduardo Da Silva Dos Santos, arrives from Brazil’s Cruzeiro. “I’m excited to play for a club like Kashiwa Reysol,” Dudu commented. “I want to focus on giving my best during training in or…