Japan were defeated 1-0 by hosts Saudi Arabia late on Tuesday night in their final match of 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifications. With their ticket to Russia already clinched following their 2-0 win against Australia on August 31, Vahid Halilhodzic’s back line and midfield remained largely unchanged while overseas-based attackers such as Hertha Berli…

The J.League has announced the results of its annual campaign to collect football shirts for children in developing nations across the world. After setting a goal of 400 donated shirts, the league received a stunning 570 which have been earmarked for children in Vanuatu, an island nation in the South Pacific Ocean. Previous donation drives have yielde…

The second leg of the J.League YBC Levain Cup quarter-finals took place on Sunday, with four teams booking their place in next month’s semi-final round as Kashima Antlers bowed out. Vegalta Sendai, who arrived at Kashima Stadium with a 3-1 advantage over Antlers, jumped to a 2-0 lead after goals by Hirotaka Mita and Takuma Nishimura.  Antle…

The 32nd round of the MEIJI YASUDA J2 League wrapped up on Sunday with FC Gifu eking out a late 2-1 win over Ehime FC. The hosts took the lead after just 15 minutes through Koya Kazama’s gorgeous right-footed effort from just inside the penalty area, but Koki Arita put the hosts level in the 79th minute with his close-range header. With just fou…

The 31st round of the MEIJI YASUDA J2 League opened on Saturday with 10 out of 11 matches taking place. Despite taking a 2-0 lead against visiting Yokohama FC, leaders Shonan Bellmare were forced to settle for a draw when 2011 J1 League MVP Leandro Domingues capped off a stunning comeback with his dramatic equalizes in the fifth minute of stoppage time f…

Jubilo Iwata on Wednesday announced the arrival of midfielder Hiroki Yamada, marking the player’s return to Yamaha Stadium for the first time since 2014. The 28-year-old has spent the last three years at 2.Bundesliga side Karlsruher SC, where he scored 10 goals in 88 appearances. “I’ve been given another chance to wear the blue shirt…

Japan booked their spot in the 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia on Thursday night with an emphatic 2-0 victory over rivals Australia at Saitama Stadium 2002. J.Leaguers Gen Shoji (Kashima Antlers), Hotaru Yamaguchi (Cerezo Osaka) and Yosuke Ideguchi (Gamba Osaka) started the match for the Samurai Blue.  In an exciting back-and-forth match, Japan inched…

The first leg of the 2017 J.League Levain Cup quarter-finals took place on Wednesday night, with two home sides earning important leads ahead of Sunday's return leg. At Todoroki Stadium, Akihiro Ienaga converted from the spot and hammered home from open play late in the second half to give Kawasaki Frontale a 2-0 win over FC Tokyo in the third Tamaga…

Kawasaki Frontale defender Kyohei Noborizato could be out of action through September after tearing an abdominal muscle last week. The 26-year-old suffered the injury during the team’s 2017 AFC Champions League quarter-final first-leg win against Urawa Reds. Noborizato has 21 appearances, including 16 starts, for Frontale in their MEIJI YASUDA J…

Hokkaido Consadole Sapporo on Sunday announced that midfielder Chanathip Songkrasin has been called up by the Football Association of Thailand for the country’s upcoming 2018 FIFA World Cup Asian Qualifiers. The War Elephants, who are currently last in Group B with two points, will play Iraq at home on August 31 before concluding the final group ro…

MEIJI YASUDA J2 League leaders Shonan Bellmare pulled even further ahead of the pack in after the weekend’s Round 30 action. The Kanagawa side easily dispatched last-place Thespa Kusatsu Gunma with a 2-0 road win, following up a first-minute own-goal with Naoki Yamada’s third of the season in the 12th minute. Bellmare ended the weekend sev…

Urawa Reds rallied to fight back against Shimizu S-Pulse, securing a 2-1 win in their MEIJI YASUDA J1 League clash on Sunday. Makoto Kakuda had given the hosts the lead in the first half, but Wataru Endo and Rafael Silva struck back after the break to hand Reds all three points and move them up to eighth in the standings. Kawasaki Frontale also fought…

Kashima Antlers strengthened their position at the top of the MEIJI YASUDA J1 League after seeing off title rivals Cerezo Osaka 1-0 on Saturday. The surprise packages had seen their title charge fall off in recent weeks, but were out to gain some ground on the reigning champions in front of the Yanmar Stadium faithful. However, the clash appeared to b…

Fujieda MYFC on Thursday announced the selection of striker Chan Vathanaka for the Cambodian national team’s upcoming AFC Asian Cup UAE 2019 qualifiers. The team will face Vietnam at home on September 5 at Phnom Penh Olympic Stadium. The 23-year-old, who joined the J3 League outfit this winter, is still waiting for his debut J.League appearance.…

The Japan Football Association on Thursday announced the Samurai Blue’s squad of 27 players for their upcoming 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifiers against Group B rivals Australia and Saudi Arabia. Coach Vahid Halilhodzic called up 10 J.League players, including Kashiwa Reysol goalkeeper Kosuke Nakamura, Kashima Antlers defender Naomichi Ueda and Gamba …

FC Tokyo on Wednesday announced the loan of midfielder Shoya Nakajima to Portimonense through June 2018. Nakajima, who joined Tokyo in 2014, has scored two goals in 20 MEIJI YASUDA J1 League appearances this campaign. “Things didn’t always go perfectly at FC Tokyo, but it was a valuable experience surrounded by wonderful team-mates and sta…

The first leg of the 2017 AFC Champions League quarter-finals took place on Wednesday night, with Kawasaki Frontale earning a 3-1 win over fellow J.League competitors Urawa Reds at Todoroki Stadium. It took 33 minutes for the hosts to break the deadlock, with Yu Kobayashi scoring the opener after a display of clever passing broke down the Reds defense.&n…

Yokohama F. Marinos on Tuesday announced the call-up of midfielder David Babunski to Macedonia’s national team for 2018 FIFA World Cup Europe qualifications. The 23-year-old has two goals in 14 appearances in his debut MEIJI YASUDA J1 League campaign. “I’m very happy to have been selected for the national team again. Even though we c…

Shimizu S-Pulse have announced an injury to striker Chong Tese that will see the ace sit out the next four weeks. According to the club, the former North Korea international tore a muscle in his left calf during training on August 4. The 33-year-old leads the IAI Stadium Nihondaira residents this season with eight goals in 17 appearances. Chong Tes…

The 29th round of the MEIJI YASUDA J2 League took place on Sunday, with the race for automatic promotion drawing even tighter. Leaders Shonan Bellmare retained first place despite a scoreless draw against Roasso Kumamoto, becoming the first side to reach 60 points this season. Despite Yuta Mikado giving second-placed Avispa Fukuoka an early lead at Na…