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Shonan Bellmare 1, Kawasaki Frontale 1Shonan Bellmare were on their way to a huge victory, and Kawasaki Frontale on the verge of suffering their first defeat of the season. A goal by Naoki Yamada had put the home side in front and had the defending champions on the brink, but then Leandro Damião came to Frontale’s rescue. The Brazilian collected a pass 12 y…

Match to WatchRicardo Rodriguez guided Tokushima Vortis to the MEIJI YASUDA J2 LEAGUE title a year ago, and that was enough to get the attention of Urawa Reds, who moved quickly to appoint him their new manager for the 2021 campaign. The Spaniard needed a little time to install his vision at Urawa, and some struggles early on in the season followed, but Rod…

Kawasaki Frontale 3, Yokohama FC 1The matchup of the league’s first place team hosting the league’s last place team went largely as expected. Frontale were dominant from the start and had themselves a lead within 20 minutes thanks to an Akihiro Ienaga penalty. Goals by Ao Tanaka and Kaoru Mitoma followed so even by the time Kléber got Yokohama on the board,…

Match to WatchKashima Antlers have not lost in 12 matches across all competitions, a run that has seen them average two goals per match and keep clean sheets in half of their contests. Quite simply, the attack and defense have both been spectacular, and their excellent play has seen them jump to sixth in the table.Kashima haven’t just beat up on the bottom …

Group AThis group was settled last matchday, with Kashima Antlers and Hokkaido Consadole Sapporo already booking their spots in the Play-off Stage. All they were playing for was first place in the group, but a scoreless draw ensured Kashima would keep the top spot, while Consa would take second. A dominant performance by Avispa Fukuoka saw Hisashi Jog…

As part of 20J1 in 2021, a project designed to celebrate the global diversity, unique club cultures, and vibrant fashions at the heart of Japanese football, J.LEAGUE presents some of its kits with connections to Italy.The 2021 home shirts of two Kanagawa-based clubs, Kawasaki Frontale and Shonan Bellmare, feature on the streetscapes and waterfronts of Naple…

Kawasaki Frontale 2, Hokkaido Consadole Sapporo 0Consadole went to Kawasaki and played a good match, giving Frontale a real fight, but in the end the champions were just a little too good. A scoreless first half had Consa thinking they were going to get away with a result, but Kaoru Mitoma broke the deadlock in the 49th minute off a gorgeous assist from Reo…

May 15th is a significant date on the Japanese football calendar, marking the anniversary of the inaugural J.LEAGUE match, which kicked off on this day in 1993. Known as J.LEAGUE Day, every May 15th stirs countless football memories and gives us another chance to look back through the game’s modern era in Japan. So, with J.LEAGUE Day here for the 29th seaso…

Match to WatchKashima Antlers are the winningest team in MEIJI YASUDA J1 LEAGUE history, capturing eight titles. And the team with the second most titles? That would be Yokohama F·Marinos, with four trophies to their name. And this weekend, these two teams clash.Marinos are starting to look like their champion-selves of old. They won the title in 2019, only…

The legendary Andrés Iniesta has extended his contract with Vissel Kobe and is set to stay in the MEIJI YASUDA J.LEAGUE through the 2023 season.Iniesta won the 2010 FIFA World Cup and two UEFA European Football Championships with Spain, to go along with his four UEFA Champions League trophies and nine LaLiga titles with FC Barcelona, before joining Vissel K…

Gamba Osaka 0, Kawasaki Frontale 2The Frontale machine kept on chugging as the champions picked up yet another win to maintain their nine-point lead atop the table. Surprisingly, it was Gamba who nearly struck first as Takashi Usami got a good look within 10 minutes, but fired just wide. From that point on, Frontale were on the front foot and the only reaso…

J.LEAGUE clubs are more than just sporting organizations, they are leaders in their communities and prove it every season through their hometown activities.The past year has been one of enormous challenges for everyone, but J.LEAGUE clubs were there to lend a helping hand in 2020 through over 15,000 local activities and projects. From educational programs t…

Another exciting month in the MEIJI YASUDA J.LEAGUE is in the books and that means it’s time to hand out some hardware.In J1, the top honors go to Kawasaki Frontale’s Leandro Damião, who has been named Konami Monthly MVP for the month of April. The Brazilian scored three goals in April to move joint top of the J1 scoring chart, with his double against Nagoy…

Match to WatchKawasaki Frontale, Nagoya Grampus and Sagan Tosu have held the top three spots - and with it berths in the AFC Champions League - for much of the season, but they are not without their challengers. Yokohama F·Marinos sit in fourth place, just two points back of Sagan, while Vissel Kobe are right on their heels, a point back. And they both have…

Group AThe two teams who will advance from Group A are set after Kashima Antlers and Hokkaido Consadole Sapporo got results that clinch spots in the top two. Kashima answered a 24th minute goal by Avispa Fukuoka with a Ryohei Shirasaki tally to draw 1-1, a result that keeps them atop the group on 11 points. Consadole rode a penalty by Douglas Oliveira and a…

Kawasaki Frontale 3, Nagoya Grampus 2Kawasaki Frontale and Nagoya Grampus were expected by many to be the top two teams in the MEIJI YASUDA J1 LEAGUE this season and for the first two months of the season, they had lived up to the hype. When they finally met last week, though, Frontale made easy work of their challengers. The defending champions won 4-0 in …

The MEIJI YASUDA J.LEAGUE fixtures to be broadcast on the J.LEAGUE International YouTube channel have been announced for the month of May.Supporters will encounter an action-packed calendar of live football, as mouthwatering matchups are beamed across the world. The pick of the group may well be a marquee matchup featuring Andrés Iniesta's Vissel Kobe …

The MEIJI YASUDA J1 LEAGUE is back in action for Matchweek 12. Let's break down some of the action on the horizon!Match to WatchThe top two teams in the MEIJI YASUDA J1 LEAGUE meet … again!Kawasaki Frontale and Nagoya Grampus just met at Toyota Stadium, with an early blitz by Frontale leading them to a dominant 4-0 victory. And now the two sides meet a…

Another matchday is in the books in the 2021 J.LEAGUE YBC Levain CUP! Let's take a quick look at the results around the competition.Group AThings remain much the same in Group A after both games were played to draws on Matchday 4. Kashima Antlers remain on top of the pack after Sagan Tosu became the first to take points from them in this competition. C…

‘20J1 in 2021’ is a project from J.LEAGUE to celebrate the remarkable diversity, unique club cultures, and iconic, vibrant fashions that are at the heart of Japanese football. In recognition of J.LEAGUE’s new “KICK” typeface and a 20-team top flight (temporarily expanded in 2021 due to the impacts of the pandemic), J.LEAGUE is shining a spotlight on its gro…