Japanese teams split away results on Tuesday night in the 2017 AFC Champions League Round of 16. Facing a formidable Muangthong United side at the Thunder Dome, Kawasaki Frontale fell behind shortly before half-time but recovered on goals by captain Kengo Nakamura, Yu Kobayashi and Hiroki Abe to notch a 3-1 win and key away goals ahead of next week&rsquo…

The J.League on Monday announced the current leaders in 2017 J.League YBC Levain Cup New Hero Award voting following five rounds of the tournament’s group stage. Nine out of 10 players from the first announcement, including Jubilo Iwata striker Koki Ogawa, Vegalta Sendai defender Takumi Sasaki and Kashiwa Reysol midfielder Kohei Tezuka, remained on…

Avispa Fukuoka leapt into the MEIJI YASUDA J2 League lead following Sunday’s Round 15 action. The Kyushu side made quick work of Zweigen Kanazawa in a 5-0 away win. Wellington scored twice alongside Daisuke Ishizu to make it 3-0 at half-time, with Riki Matsuda recording his own brace in the second half. Naoki Yamada’s game-winner gave Shon…

Kashima Antlers last week announced injuries to midfielders Leo Silva and Yasushi Endo which will see both players sit out for several rounds. Silva received surgery for a torn left meniscus last Wednesday after injuring the knee in the team’s match against Vissel Kobe on May 14, with six to eight weeks expected for his recovery. Endo, who injur…

Japan clawed back from an early deficit to claim a 2-1 win over South Africa in their opening match of the 2017 FIFA U-20 World Cup group stage at Suwon World Cup Stadium. Despite a lineup that included J.League regulars Ritsu Doan (Gamba Osaka), Koki Ogawa (Jubilo Iwata), and Yuta Nakayama (Kashiwa Reysol), Japan failed to keep up with the African side …

Shun Nagasawa was at the double to propel Gamba Osaka top of the MEIJI YASUDA J1 League in a 3-0 win over Sagan Tosu as they capitalised on slips by Kashima Antlers and Urawa Reds. After the Japanese champions were hammered 3-0 in their own stadium on Friday, Urawa Reds were meanwhile held to a 3-3 draw at home, as Shinzo Koroki’s hat-trick proved …

The first match of the 2017 MEIJI YASUDA J1 League Round 12 took place on Friday night with Kashima Antlers hosting Kawasaki Frontale as both teams prepared for their upcoming AFC Champions League Round of 16 ties. The visitors took the lead after 19 minutes when Hiroyuki Abe scored in his third straight match, doubling the lead before half-time thanks t…

Shonan Bellmare conceded the top of the MEIJI YASUDA J2 League table to Yokohama FC after Wednesday night’s Round 14 action. The BMW Stadium residents fell 3-0 to visiting Avispa Fukuoka, with striker Gilsinho scoring just before the interval and Yuta Mikado and Hisashi Jogo piling on in the second half. Yokohama needed just five minutes to take…

Cerezo Osaka will face Sevilla this summer in the StubHub World Match 2017, the club announced on Monday. The match will take place on Monday, July 17 at Yanmar Stadium Nagai, with kic-koff time and ticketing details to be announced at a later date. Sevilla are also scheduled to play Kashima Antlers on July 22 as part of the J.League International Ser…

Sagan Tosu on Monday announced several injuries which could keep key players out through the upcoming international break and beyond. Ace striker Yohei Toyoda will be out for three to four weeks after suffering a collapsed lung, while midfielder Hiroyuki Taniguchi will miss five months after severely damaging the cartilage in his left knee. Meanwhile,…

Vissel Kobe ended their losing streak in unexpected fashion when they beat Kashima Antlers 2-1 away in the MEIJI YASUDA J1 League. The result against the Japanese champions, secured by Daigo Nishi’s own goal in the 10th minute as well as Kazuma Watanabe’s strike four minutes later, saw Antlers surrender their place at the top of the table to …

The 13th round of the 2017 MEIJI YASUDA J2 League took place on Saturday, with the top two teams switching places after their respective matches. With Yokohama FC drawing at Mito Hollyhock, Shonan Bellmare jumped into first when Dinei’s stoppage-time stunner gave the team a priceless 1-0 win at Roasso Kumamoto. Elsewhere in Kyushu, Wellington ga…

Albirex Niigata on Thursday announced the resignation of manager Fumitake Miura after the team’s poor start to the 2017 MEIJI YASUDA J1 League campaign. In his J1 managerial debut, the 46-year-old has only managed one win along with seven losses, with the team sitting in 17th place as a result. He will be replaced by Wagner Lopes, a former Japan…

The 2017 AFC Champions League Group Stage concluded on Wednesday night with both Japanese clubs in action finishing the night on top of their groups. Playing away at Muangthong United, Kashima Antlers skipped to the front of Group A with a 2-1 victory boosted by Yuma Suzuki’s brace. Urawa Reds fell short in a 1-0 loss at FC Seoul, but retained f…

The J.League YBC Levain Cup Group Stage continued on Wednesday with six matches taking across the two groups. Group A leaders Vegalta Sendai fell behind in the 13th minute against Kashiwa Reysol, but were saved by Crislan’s stunning equaliser in the 94th minute to salvage a 1-1 draw. FC Tokyo rose to second place after coming out on top in a wil…

The sixth and final match day of the 2017 AFC Champions League Group Stage began on Tuesday night, with places in the knockout tournament at stake. Kawasaki Frontale finished on top of Group G with a 4-0 win against Hong Kong’s Eastern SC, boosted by goals from Rhayner, Shogo Taniguchi, Tatsuya Hasegawa and Tatsuki Nara. After beating Guangzhou …

Albirex Niigata defender Kisho Yano will miss the next four to six weeks after straining his right hamstring. The injury occurred early in the team’s recent 3-0 loss at Kawasaki Frontale, forcing the 33-year-old to leave the pitch in the 28th minute. Yano, who returned for a third stint with Albirex after four seasons playing for Nagoya Grampus,…

FC Tokyo climbed into fourth place in the MEIJI YASUDA J1 League with a 2-0 win at Vegalta Sendai, secured by Yoshito Okubo’s brace. The veteran striker struck in each half to move the capital side level on 19 points - level with Urawa Reds and Gamba Osaka as the chasing pack behind leaders Kashima Antlers grows. Meanwhile, Jubilo Iwata’s …

The 12th round of the 2017 MEIJI YASUDA J2 League took place on Sunday, with little movement in the promotion race after the top four teams all drew their respective matches. Current leaders Yokohama FC kept their position with a 1-1 draw at fourth-place Tokyo Verdy. Daiske Takagi put the hosts in the lead after just seven minutes when he pounced on a re…

Shu Kuruta hit the equaliser for Gamba Osaka to secure a 1-1 draw with Shimizu S-Pulse, pulling them level on points with Urawa Reds. It was not easy sailing for the hosts - who were out to capitalise on the Reds’ home loss to Kashima Antlers on Thursday - but Tiago Alves hit the opener for the guests right after the break. Kuruta ensured Kenta …