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Sanfrecce Hiroshima and Urawa Reds both found full points on the road in the conclusion of the 2016 MEIJI YASUDA J1 League’s fourth round. At NACK5 Stadium, the defending champions ran rampant over Omiya Ardija in a 5-1 win. Nigerian striker Peter Utaka and Japan U-23 star Takuma Asano scored in the first half. Captain Toshihiro Aoyama, Yoshifum…

Cerezo Osaka continue to lead the 2016 MEIJI YASUDA J2 League after yet another narrow win. Yuzo Tashiro’s 90th-minute goal was enough for a 1-0 result at Montedio Yamagata, the fourth such scoreline this season for the Kincho Stadium residents. Second-place Kamatamare Sanuki continued their surprise start to the season with a 2-1 win at Thespa …

Kashiwa Reysol on Saturday announced the signing of Brazilian striker Dudu on a one-year loan. The 20-year-old, whose full name is Luiz Eduardo Da Silva Dos Santos, arrives from Brazil’s Cruzeiro. “I’m excited to play for a club like Kashiwa Reysol,” Dudu commented. “I want to focus on giving my best during training in or…

Kengo Nakamura bagged a brace as Kawasaki Frontale demolished Ventforet Kofu 4-0 on Saturday to stay top of the MEIJI YASUDA J1 League. The outfit kept up their unbeaten start to the season, dominating from start to finish at Yamanashi Chuo Bank Stadium, with captain Nakamura getting the scoring underway with an expertly dispatched free-kick in the ninth…

Four MEIJI YASUDA J1 League players could celebrate career achievements in this weekend’s action. Kawasaki Frontale defender Takanobu Komiyama would make his 200th MEIJI YASUDA J1 League appearance when they travel to Ventforet Kofu on Saturday. Meanwhile, Omiya Ardija striker Daisuke Watabe and Sanfrecce Hiroshima defender Tsukasa Shiotani are …

The J.League on Friday announced a change in the name of Grulla Morioka’s home ground. Beginning on April 1, Morioka Minami Park Stadium will be known as Iwagin Stadium through the end of March 2019. Grulla will travel to Osaka on Sunday to face Gamba Osaka’s Under-23s in the second round of the 2016 MEIJI YASUDA J3 League.

Japan coach Vahid Halilhodzic on Thursday announced his call-ups for the team’s upcoming 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifiers. FC Tokyo defender Masato Morishige, Urawa Reds midfielder Yosuke Kashiwagi and Kawasaki Frontale striker Yu Kobayashi are amongst 11 players called up from J.League clubs. The Samurai Blue will host Syria on March 24 and Afgha…

Ventforet Kofu have announced the signing of Nigerian striker Derick Chuka Ogbu pending a medical check. The 25-year-old, who has played in Qatar, Belgium and Romania, most recently scored 16 goals in 42 appearances for China’s Liaoning Whowin. Chuka, who will wear the No.11 shirt, is expected to join his team-mates on March 20 following a forma…

Yokohama FC manager Milos Rus has been hospitalised again to be examined for possible heart issues, the club announced on Thursday. The Slovenian, who is in his second stint with the Mitsuzawa Stadium residents after stepping down last September due to health issues, will undergo examinations through Tuesday, March 22. Head coach Kosaku Masada will se…

Yokohama FC midfielder Nguyen Tuan Anh has been selected to Vietnam’s senior team for their upcoming 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifiers.   The 20-year-old has represented his country at the Under-19 and U-23 levels but had yet to make his full national team debut.   “It’s an incredible honour to be selected for Vietna…

Sanfrecce Hiroshima found their footing in the AFC Champions League with a 3-0 home victory against Thailand’s Buriram United. Takuma Asano contributed a pair of goals midway through the match while Kohei Shimizu added his own name to the scoreboard in the 81st minute. The result brings Sanfrecce up to third place in Group F with three points be…

Sanfrecce Hiroshima manager Hajime Moriyasu expressed confidence in his young players after the team’s 3-0 win over Buriram United in the AFC Champions League group stage. The team’s first win in this year’s competition came thanks to a brace by 2015 Rookie of the Year Takuma Asano, who was assisted by fellow youngsters Takumi Miyayoshi…

The third match day of the 2016 AFC Champions League began on Tuesday night, with FC Tokyo and Gamba Osaka having mixed results against their Chinese opponents. In Tokyo Stadium, Tokyo and Jiangsu Suning ended in a 0-0 draw. The visitors failed to create attacking momentum despite a lineup which included Brazil international Jo and former Shakhtar Donets…

FC Tokyo manager Hiroshi Jofuku praised his side’s defending in their 0-0 draw against Jiangsu Suning, but criticised their lack of finishing after the team produced just seven shots. The late introduction of Takuma Abe created a spark in the attack, but it was not enough to produce a goal as the capital club settled for one point. “We tri…

Gamba Osaka manager Kenta Hasegawa sees a chance to advance past the AFC Champions group stage despite failing to record a win in their first three games. The 2015 semi-finalists encountered another setback on Tuesday with a 1-2 loss at Shanghai SIPG to leave them third in Group G, but the coach still sees positives from the campaign to follow. &ldquo…

The Japan Football Association on Monday announced its squad of 22 players for the Under-23 national team’s upcoming training camp in Portugal. Makoto Teguramori’s men will face Mexico U23 in a March 25 friendly before playing a training match with local club Sporting CP on March 28. The squad features 19 J.League players, including 2015 R…

Sunday’s opening-round match between Oita Trinita and AC Nagano Parceiro has set a new attendance record for the MEIJI YASUDA J3 League, the J.League has announced. The announced attendance of 9,189 fans breaks the previous mark of 9,040 achieved by SC Sagamihara and YSCC Yokohama last year. Trinita, who were relegated following last year’…

A brilliant goal by Cerezo Osaka captain Yoichiro Kakitani helped his side defeat Thespa Kusatsu Gunma by a 1-0 result in the third round of the 2016 MEIJI YASUDA J2 League. Facing away from the goal after receiving a cross from teammate Ricardo Santos, the former Basel attacker settled the ball with his right foot before deftly flicking it behind him in…

The 2016 MEIJI YASUDA J3 League kicked off on Sunday with an expanded competition featuring 16 clubs. Joining 13 clubs vying for promotion tor promotion to the J2 are Under-23 sides fielded by Gamba Osaka, Cerezo Osaka and FC Tokyo. Newcomers Kagoshima United earned their first J.League point with a scoreless draw against Kataller Toyama in front of 4…

Kashiwa Reysol on Saturday announced the sudden resignation of manager Milton Mendes after just three matches with the club. The Brazilian coach, who started the 2016 MEIJI YASUDA J1 League campaign with two losses and one draw, stepped down due to an unspecified family health issue. He will be immediately replaced by current head coach Takahiro Shimo…