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Vissel Kobe continued their excellent AFC Champions League play with another win, this time over Thailand’s Chiangrai United, 6-0. It was a spectacular showing for Vissel, who now have two wins from two matches and sit atop Group J.Koya Yuruki led the way for Kobe, scoring twice, while four other players tallied for the Ushi in a total team performance. The…

The J.League will be featured in KONAMI’s eFootball™ 2022! The popular free-to-play game now has the licenses for the Meiji Yasuda J1 and J2 Leagues, allowing gamers to play with teams and players from both leagues.eFootball™ 2022 is designed to recreate the battle for the ball between players, and the unique team tactics that are often seen in the football…

Fans will fill Ajinomoto Stadium on Saturday for not one, but two games, as the first J.League and WE League collaboration match offers up a doubleheader to remember.The proceedings will begin at 14:00 JST with a Meiji Yasuda J2 League clash between Tokyo Verdy and JEF United Chiba, before continuing on at 18:00 JST with Nippon TV Tokyo Verdy Beleza against…

The AFC Champions League continued with Matchday 2 of the group stage and it was another success on balance for the Meiji Yasuda J.League representatives.Kawasaki Frontale, Urawa Reds, and Vissel Kobe all secured victory, though the circumstances surrounding the wins were all quite different.Urawa, who beat Singapore’s Lion City Sailors 4-1 in their first m…

The four Meiji Yasuda J1 League teams participating in the AFC Champions League were off this weekend, but there was still plenty of action around the top flight.Kashima Antlers 0, Nagoya Grampus 0Nagoya had the chances in the first half and Kashima had them in the second half, but neither team could break through as Antlers failed to go top of the table. …

No two teams in the Meiji Yasuda J1 League have been more surprising than Kashiwa Reysol and Kyoto Sanga this season. Now, the two upstarts who have taken the league by storm meet at SANKYO FRONTIER Kashiwa Stadium.Reysol were only promoted to the top flight two years ago and were seemingly in regression heading into this season. They finished seventh in th…

Kashima aim to retake the top spotKashima Antlers’ reign atop the table lasted only a week, as a defeat last time out dropped them to third, but they can move back into pole position with a win on Sunday against Nagoya Grampus. Their attack went quiet in their last game and the defense was undone late, but a rebound into top form this weekend should see the…

The AFC Champions League group stage is set to get underway for four J.League clubs this week, with Japan's representatives aiming to get one step closer in their bid to capture a continental crown in 2022.Kawasaki Frontale begin their journey first, with the defending Meiji Yasuda J1 League champions headed to Johor Bahru, Malaysia to take on local si…

A full Matchday 4 in the J.League YBC Levain Cup has brought clarity to some groups.Cerezo Osaka 1, Kashima Antlers 3Kashima moved within two points of Cerezo in Group A with a dominant performance. Arthur Caike, Ayase Ueda and Wellington each scored to make the race for first place a real battle heading into the last two matchweeks.Gamba Osaka 2, Oita Trin…

Toru Oniki has been named Manager of the Month for February and March after Kawasaki Frontale started the season with 16 points from their first seven matches to begin the season.Oniki, who has guided Frontale to four of the last five Meiji Yasuda J1 League titles, is no stranger to Manager of the Month honors for his terrific work, but this season has chal…

Yuki Saneto has been awarded J1 Goal of the Month for February and March, a deserved honor for the Yokohama F·Marinos man whose 95th minute bicycle kick equalizer in Matchweek 4 earned his side a draw in spectacular fashion.Marinos were desperately pushing for an equalizer as the clock ticked past the final of four minutes of stoppage time. A last-gasp cros…

The first Konami Monthly MVP award for 2022 has been given to Ayase Ueda, whose sparkling form to start the season has catapulted Kashima Antlers up the table.Ueda scored two goals in Kashima’s season-opening win over Gamba Osaka and added another goal in a win over Shonan Bellmare on March 19. His inch-perfect finishing and terrific movement made him a ter…

Matchweek 8 in the Meiji Yasuda J1 League delivered with action and a new-look top of the table.Kashima Antlers 0, Yokohama F·Marinos 3Kashima took over first place on Wednesday, but Marinos struck for three goals in the last 10 minutes on Sunday to take second place in the table and push Antlers to third. Kawasaki Frontale 1, Kashiwa Reysol 0With Kas…

Peter Utaka is the new leading goal scorer in the Meiji Yasuda J1 League. The 38-year-old striker scored his fifth and sixth goals of the season to lead Kyoto Sanga F.C. past Sagan Tosu, 3-1, and leapfrog Ayase Ueda for the top spot in the scoring chart.Sagan was the league’s last undefeated team and featured the best defensive mark in the competition, havi…

Kashima Antlers are back on top of the Meiji Yasuda J1 League, a familiar place for the eight-time champions, but one they have not been in for a while. With momentum at their backs and back in first place, they face a big test in Matchweek 8 against Yokohama F·Marinos in Ibaraki.Marinos haven’t yet found their stride in 2022, sorting through changes in def…

Ueda aims to keep his place atop the scoring chartKashima Antlers forward Ayase Ueda’s five goals have thrust him to the top of the Meiji Yasuda J1 League scoring chart, with his team now also top of the table in points. It’s been a terrific start to the season in every way for Ueda and Co., but can he continue it against a fellow title rival in Yokohama F·…

There is a new team atop the Meiji Yasuda J1 League table but it's a familiar sight to J.League fans.Ayase Ueda’s 71st minute goal delivered a 1-0 win for Kashima Antlers over Avispa Fukuoka and thrust the eight-time champions into first place.Ueda has been spectacular all season and his match-winner put him all alone atop the league’s goal scoring cha…

Another Meiji Yasuda J1 League matchweek is in the books. Here's how the games went down...Júbilo Iwata 1, Kawasaki Frontale 1Kei Chinen scored in stoppage time to rescue a point for Frontale, but that was not enough to maintain their place atop the table as their dropped points opened the door for Kashima Antlers. Avispa Fukuoka 0, Kashima Antle…

Kashiwa Reysol have been the surprise team of the early season, rising to fourth in the table and sitting second in points per game. They’ve been tremendous, featuring the second-best defense in the league and an attack averaging 1.5 goals per game.On Tuesday, that Kashiwa side will take on arguably the hottest team in the entire Meiji Yasuda J.League - Cer…

As usual, here are our three things to watch for Matchweek 7...Who will be in first place?Kawasaki Frontale currently occupy the top spot of the Meiji Yasuda J1 League table, but only by a point. Yokohama F·Marinos and Kashima Antlers are right on their heels, and Kashiwa Reysol are only three points back themselves. Any of the top four could be top of the …