News

Yokohama F. Marinos advanced to the third round of the Emperor’s Cup after beating MIO Biwako Shiga 3-1 in extra time on Sunday. The match, which was suspended due to heavy rain on September 6, resumed in the 74th minute at Nissan Stadium with the score tied at 1-1. After failing to break the deadlock in regular time, F. Marinos triumphed in ext…

Gamba Osaka rode their luck to eventually pip Albirex Niigata 2-0 in the second leg of the Yamazaki Nabisco Cup semi-final on Sunday, triumphing 3-2 on aggregate. The cup holders needed to turn around a 2-1 deficit from the first leg, but it was Albirex who instead turned up the livelier side in a first half which they dominated in terms of scoring chanc…

Clinical edge was the difference for Kashima Antlers as a brace from Mu Kanazaki lifted them to a 4-1 win over Vissel Kobe in the second leg of the Yamazaki Nabisco Cup semi-final. Antlers’ landslide win settled their affair 6-2 on aggregate and sees them progress to the final against holders Gamba Osaka, although the scoreline failed to disguise a…

The J.League on Friday commented on recent media reports regarding the scheduling of the 2016 J.League Championship. The league wishes to reaffirm that such reports are unfounded and not based on any official announcements. No such decisions regarding the scheduling of the 2016 season have been made, and actual updates will be announced in due course.…

Matsumoto Yamaga managed to eke out a 3-2 victory at Shonan Bellmare in Saturday’s Emperor’s Cup third round match. Shunsuke Kikuchi gave the hosts the advantage after 14 minutes, but the Nagano side drew even just four minutes later thanks to Naoki Maeda’s drive. The tide continued turning after the break as goals from Obina and Jun…

The J.League on Friday commented on recent media reports regarding completed negotiations for a business partnership with Yahoo. The league categorically denies any agreement has been reached at this point in time, and that any claims otherwise are founded on nothing more than speculation. An official announcement will be released on the matter in the…

The J.League participated in a joint Integrity Seminar aimed toward the extermination of match-fixing on Wednesday. Compliance officers from all 52 J.League clubs, members of the Tokyo Olympic & Paralympic Organising Committee and local police formed the bulk of the 160 officials in attendance. The body also included representatives from the Japan…

Gamba Osaka star Takashi Usami credited his growing understanding with Keisuke Honda for his goal in Japan’s 3-0 win against Syria on Thursday night. Usami scored from a pass from his compatriot in the closing minutes of the match at Al-Seeb Stadium in Oman, helping to propel Vahid Halilhodzic’s men top of Group E in 2018 FIFA World Cup quali…

Kashima Antlers on Thursday announced that Shoma Doi has been ruled out for three months after fracturing a metatarsal bone in his left foot, and will miss the remainder of the season. The 23-year-old suffered the injury in Antlers’ 2-0 victory at Vissel Kobe in the MEIJI YASUDA J1 League last Saturday, and had to be substituted in the 48th minute.…

SC Sagamihara’s Yusuke Mori will be suspended for six weeks for elbowing an opponent in the team’s 5-0 loss at Renofa Yamaguchi, the J.League announced on Thursday. The 35-year-old’s will now miss the rest of the season after he was immediately sent off for aiming a deliberate elbow at an opponent in last Sunday’s MEIJI YASUDA J3 …

Goals from Keisuke Honda, Shinji Okazaki and Takashi Usami gave Japan a 3-0 win over Syria in 2018 World Cup and 2019 Asian Cup qualifying action on Thursday. Vahid Halilhodzic seize control of Group E as a result, going top of the table with the win in neutral Oman with Honda decisive as usual, tucking in the opener from the penalty spot in the 55th min…

Kashima Antlers legend Yasuto Honda will take part in a match commemorating the 60th anniversary of the nearby town of Kuzumaki, organisers Grulla Morioka have announced. The “IWATE Evolution MATCH” has been set up by the MEIJI YASUDA J3 League side to take place on October 25 in an effort to promote grassroots sports and the growth of footba…

Kazuya Yamamura and Shuhei Akasaki struck to lift Kashima Antlers to a 2-1 win at Vissel Kobe in the first leg of the Yamazaki Nabisco Cup semi-finals on Wednesday. Matasada Ishii’s men seized the initiative in the opening stages and always looked in control against their hosts, who were on a torrid run of form entering the fixture and had just los…

Rafael Silva netted the winner in Albirex Niigata’s 2-1 win over Gamba Osaka in Wednesday’s first leg of the Yamazaki Nabisco Cup semi-final - a fixture that saw both sides finish with 10 men. Albirex are targeting their first ever appearance in the final of the competition, and immediately showed their ambitions as Ryohei Yamazaki went on a …

Urawa Reds on Tuesday announced former Albirex Niigata striker Yusaku Ueno had been added to the club’s academy staff. The 41-year-old Tochigi native notably represented the Denka Big Swan Stadium outfit as well as Avispa Fukuoka over the course of his 14-year playing career. Ueno also enjoyed two separate spells at Sanfrecce Hiroshima, while re…

The J.League on Tuesday confirmed the venue and kick-off time for the 2015 MEIJI YASUDA J1 League promotion play-off. Sides that finish in third to sixth place in the MEIJI YASUDA J2 League and in possession of the required J1 League club licence will be eligible for the play-off. Participants must first challenge in the semi-final - to be held o…

The J.League on Tuesday released the schedule for the 2015 J2/J3 League promotion-relegation play-off. The ties will be contested between the 21st-placed MEIJI YASUDA J2 League team and the runners-up of the MEIJI YASUDA J3 League.  However, the playoff will not be held if the J3 League representative lacks the required J2 Club License. The fi…

Gamba Osaka on Monday announced plans to distribute original cards for the popular trading card game “WORLD CLUB Champion Football” to supporters. The first 15,000 home fans to arrive at the MEIJI YASUDA J1 League second stage matchday 16 fixture against Sanfrecce Hiroshima will receive a pack containing one of four cards featuring Gamba play…

Sotan Tanabe recorded a brace as FC Tokyo defeated fellow top-tier side Ventforet Kofu 4-1 at their Kodaira training ground on Sunday. Yohei Hayashi opened the scoring in the 16th minute before wingers Tanabe and Shoya Nakajima found the net against the Yamanashi side’s reserves. Tokyo are currently in third place overall in the MEIJI YASUDA J1 …

Nagoya Grampus on Sunday announced that manager Akira Nishino’s contract will not be renewed at the conclusion of the 2015 season. The Japan coach at the 1996 Olympics has managed just 11 victories record in his second season with Grampus, losing 13 and drawing six in the span over the span of their campaign. The club’s most recent defeat …