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JEF United Chiba were amongst several teams who inched closer to promotion playoff contention in Friday’s MEIJI YASUDA J2 League Round 27 action. Juan Esnaider’s men took the lead in their home match against Renofa Yamaguchi through Yamata Machida’s 57th-minute opener, but required stoppage-time heroics by Koki Kiyotake after Kazuhito K…

Sagan Tosu on Wednesday announced the arrival of midfielder Hiroki Kawano on a full transfer from FC Tokyo. The 27-year-old began his career with Tokyo Verdy in 2007, joining FC Tokyo in 2012.  “I want to contribute to the team with my dribbling and pressing abilities,” Kawano said. “I look forward to playing as a member of Saga…

Mu Kanazaki’s brace fired Kashima Antlers to a 2-1 win at Vissel Kobe to send them top of the MEIJI YASUDA J1 League, as Lukas Podolski was unable to stave off defeat on Wednesday. It was the Noevir Stadium hosts who took the lead through Hirofumi Watanabe but Kanazaki responded 20 minutes later. Mike Havenaar entered the pitch in place of Podol…

Vegalta Sendai on Monday announced the arrival of midfielder Gakuto Notsuda on a half-year loan from Sanfrecce Hiroshima. The 23-year-old spent the first half of the 2017 MEIJI YASUDA J1 League campaign on loan at Shimizu S-Pulse, where he made 11 league appearances. “It’s the middle of the season but I want to integrate myself into the sq…

Urawa Reds on Sunday announced the transfer of midfielder Takahiro Sekine to 2.Bundesliga side FC Ingolstadt. The 23-year-old, who was promoted to the top team from the Reds youth academy in 2014, has three goals in 21 MEIJI YASUDA J1 League appearances this season. “The club tried to convince me to stay, and it was a difficult decision to make …

The draw for the remainder of the 97th Emperor’s Cup took place on Monday afternoon at JFA House in downtown Tokyo. Defending champions Kashima Antlers were drawn with rivals Urawa Reds, while last year’s runners-up Kawasaki Frontale will meet Shimizu S-Pulse. The Round of 16 will take place on Wednesday, September 20th, with quarterfinals…

The 26th round of the MEIJI YASUDA J2 League ended with a bang on Sunday as Nagoya Grampus and Ehime FC combined to score 11 goals in a 7-4 epic. After falling behind 4-0 in the first 48 minutes, Ehime fought back to even the score up at 4-4 with 18 minutes to play before Ryota Aoki scored a brace and Taishi Taguchi completed his hat-trick to make Grampu…

Yusuke Segawa’s 88th-minute equaliser helped Omiya Ardija secure a 2-2 MEIJI YASUDA J1 League draw at Urawa Reds, denying Takafumi Hori a win in his first match in charge. Mateus had cancelled out Shinzo Koroki’s first-half opener in the 66th minute on Saturday but the Reds retook the lead just three minutes later through Yosuke Kashiwagi. …

Jubilo Iwata on Wednesday announced the full transfer of midfielder Daisuke Matsui to Polish second division side Odra Opole. The move will mark the former Japan international’s second voyage abroad after spending a decade from 2004 playing in France, Russia, Bulgaria and Poland. “I’m sorry to make this announcement in the middle of …

The participants in the fourth round of the Emperor’s Cup have been finalised after the match between Vanraure Hachinohe and Nagoya Grampus. The clash was suspended in the 65th minute in July due to heavy rain and was completed on Wednesday night at Paloma MIzuho Stadium. The JFL side proved troublesome after play resumed, with Seiya Murakami kn…

FC Tokyo on Wednesday announced the decision of midfielder Naohiro Ishikawa to retire following the conclusion of the 2017 campaign. The 36-year-old was promoted from Yokohama F. Marinos’ youth system in 2000, joining Tokyo two years later and contributing to all of their titles, including the 2004 and 2009 J.League Yamazaki Nabisco Cup championshi…

Hokkaido Consadole Sapporo on Sunday announced the arrival of veteran defender Naoki Ishikawa on a full transfer from Vegalta Sendai. The 31-year-old previously played for Consadole in 2009 and 2010, also calling Kashiwa Reysol and Albirex Niigata home in a career that began in 2004. “I’m grateful for the opportunity to return to Sapporo a…

The draw for the 2017 J.League YBC Levain Cup Knockout Stage took place on Monday afternoon at Fuji Television in downtown Tokyo. Despite temperatures that soared above 30 Celsius, fans turned out in force to the ‘Minna no Yume Tairiku Stage’ in order to watch the tournament’s first public draw in 10 years. J.League vice chairman Hir…

Urawa Reds on Sunday announced the dismissal of manager Mihailo Petrovic as well as his coach and interpreter Daisuke Sugiura. The Serbian coach, who arrived at Saitama Stadium in 2012 after over half a decade managing Sanfrecce Hiroshima, led the Reds to four top-three finishes, two stage titles, and the 2016 J.League YBC Levain Cup - their first major …

Shonan Bellmare remained on top of the MEIJI YASUDA J2 League table following their 2-0 win against third-place Tokushima Vortis on Saturday. Goals by Dinei and Hiroki Akino in the second half gave the crowd at BMW Stadium plenty to cheer about despite occasionally inclement weather. Second-place Avispa Fukuoka kept apace, winning 2-0 against Montedio…

Jan Anders Jonsson lost on his MEIJI YASUDA J1 League managerial debut, as Sanfrecce Hiroshima surrendered 1-0 at home to Sagan Tosu on Sunday. The Swede replaced Hajime Moriyasu and hoped to turn around the club’s form in front of their fans after the league restart. However, despite fielding Patric in attack from the start, Sanfrecce were unab…

Jay Bothroyd scored as Urawa Reds lost 2-0 to Consadole Sapporo in the MEIJI YASUDA J1 League on Saturday, a result that saw Mihailo Petrovic removed from his position as coach. Ken Tokura opened the scoring against the embattled visitors, who have lost six of their last eight league outings, and Jay followed that up with the clincher in the 88th minute.…

FC Tokyo centre back Masato Morishige has undergone surgery to repair a dislocated tendon in his left ankle, the club announced on Friday. The team captain and Samurai Blue regular suffered the injury during the team’s 3-1 loss at Cerezo Osaka on July 2 in the 17th round of the MEIJI YASUDA J1 League. Morishige, who had not missed a minute of pl…

Tochigi SC on Wednesday announced the arrival of striker Nejc Pecnik on a full transfer from Omiya Ardija. After scoring 14 goals for JEF United Chiba in the 2015 J2 campaign, the 31-year-old Slovenia international joined Omiya Ardija on a full transfer in the winter of 2016 and will now begin a new adventure back in the second tier. “This trans…

The second leg of the 2017 J.League YBC Levain Cup Playoff Stage took place on Wednesday night, with Cerezo Osaka and FC Tokyo advancing to the Knockout Stage after sweeping their opponents. With a two-goal advantage against Hokkaido Consadole Sapporo in their pockets following last month’s first leg road win, Cerezo eked out a 1-0 result thanks to…