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Sanfrecce Hiroshima manager Hajime Moriyasu praised his players following a 2-0 win at Buriram United in the 2016 AFC Champions League group stage. The defending J.League champions have earned both of their wins in the tournament thus far against Buriram, with Tuesday’s victory coming thanks to second-half goals by Takumi Miyayoshi and Kosei Shibas…

Urawa Reds striker Yuki Muto praised his side following their 1-0 win over Guangzhou Evergrande on Tuesday night in the 2016 AFC Champions League group stage.      The 27-year-old scored the lone goal of the match in the 52nd minute, delivering the Chinese side a huge blow in their quest to repeat as tournament champions. “Coach [M…

Urawa Reds took a large step toward progressing from the group stage of the 2016 AFC Champions League on Tuesday night with a 1-0 win against reigning champions Guangzhou Evergrande. Yuki Muto delivered the game-winning header in the second half, although the hosts had several opportunities to score more against a side boasting foreign stars such as Colo…

The J.League on Monday included Kengo Nakamura in its slate of nominees for the MEIJI YASUDA J.League Player of the Month for February and March. Kashima Antlers midfielder Mu Kanazaki, Urawa Reds striker Shinzo Koroki and Kawasaki Frontale captain Nakamura received the nod in the MEIJI YASUDA J1 Leagu category. In the MEIJI YASUDA J2 League it was Ho…

Vegalta Sendai goalkeeper Kentaro Seki will require over a month to recover from a torn muscle in his right hip, the club announced on Sunday. The 30-year-old suffered the injury in Vegalta’s Friday-night loss at Sanfrecce Hiroshima in the fifth round of the 2016 MEIJI YASUDA J1 League. Nevertheless, he managed to still make the full appearance …

Cerezo Osaka are back on top of the 2016 MEIJI YASUDA J2 League table following their 2-1 win over JEF United Chiba in the league’s sixth round. Brazilian midfielder Souza scored twice in the latter stages of the first half for the hosts, while JEF could only respond with a goal by striker Elton just two minutes into the second half at Kincho Stadi…

Sanfrecce Hiroshima striker Takuma Asano will miss the next three weeks due to a training injury, the club has announced. Last season’s Rookie of the Year injured his right dorsal hip muscle on Thursday and was a late absentee from the team’s 3-0 win against Vegalta Sendai on Friday night in the fifth round of the 2016 MEIJI YASUDA J1 League.…

Shunsuke Nakamura netted a trademark free-kick as Yokohama F.Marinos stunned Gamba Osaka 2-1 at Suita City Football Stadium in MEIJI YASUDA J1 League action on Saturday. The visitors’ feat was greater given the 2014 champions roared into the lead when Patric nodded down a deep cross for Ademilson to volley home past two players and Hiroki Ikura. …

Home fans on both sides of Japan went home happy on Friday night after seeing their teams cruise to victory. At Saitama Stadium, a pair of second-half goals helped Urawa Reds jump up to provisional first place in the 2016 MEIJI YASUDA J1 League with a 2-1 victory over Ventforet Kofu.  Shinzo Koroki scored in a third straight match to give the hos…

FC Tokyo on Friday announced the arrival of Brazilian striker Muriqui on a season-long loan from Qatar’s Al Sadd. The 29-year-old is best known in Japan for his achievements in China, where he was a key figure in the rise of continental powers Guangzhou Evergrande.  In their 2013 AFC Champions League-winning season he was that tournament&rs…

Yokohama F. Marinos on Thursday announced that the Japan Football Assertion has approved collegiate defender Ryo Takano as a Specially Designated Player. The Nippon Sport Science University student was a Specially Designated Player for Shonan Bellmare in 2015, appearing in one Yamazaki Nabisco Cup match. “It’s an honour to be a Specially D…

Ventforet Kofu veteran Yukio Tsuchiya will miss the next six weeks, his club announced on Tuesday. The 41-year-old defender suffered a pulled right calf muscle in Sunday’s Yamazaki Nabisco Cup match against Omiya Ardija. Tsuchiya had appeared in all four league matches for Ventforet thus far this season. Ventforet have begun the 2016 MEIJI YA…

Kashima Antlers on Wednesday announced the loan of striker Hiroyuki Takasaki to MEIJI YASUDA J2 League side Matsumoto Yamaga for the rest of the 2016 season. The 30-year-old, who spent half of last season on loan to Montedio Yamagata, has yet to make an appearance in the current campaign. “I want to become a player capable of meeting everyone&rs…

Japan roared to a 5-0 victory over Syria on Tuesday night in the final match of joint qualifying for the 2018 FIFA World Cup and 2019 AFC Asian Cup. Urawa Reds goalkeeper Shusaku Nishikawa, FC Tokyo defender Masato Morishige and Gamba Osaka striker Takashi Usami were amongst the starters. Kashima Antlers striker Mu Kanazaki also came on as a substitut…

Albirex Niigata on Tuesday announced the arrival of Sanfrecce Hiroshima midfielder Gakuto Notsuda on a season-long loan. Despite impressing with four goals in 19 appearances last season, the 21-year-old has been limited to appearances in the AFC Champions League this year. “I hope I can become an asset to Albirex Niigata as soon as possible,&rdq…

Shonan Bellmare on Tuesday announced the arrival of Aria Jasuru Hasegawa, a midfielder who has represented Japan at junior and senior levels. The 27-year-old half-Iranian midfielder has for Spain’s Real Zaragoza as well as several J.League clubs including Yokohama F. Marinos, FC Tokyo and Cerezo Osaka. “I’m grateful to Shonan Bellmar…

Shonan Bellmare midfielder Shunsuke Kikuchi could miss the remainder of the 2016 MEIJI YASUDA J1 League season after suffering a serious injuring in training. The 24-year-old sustained damage to his right anterior cruciate ligament last week and could require eight months to recover fully. Kikuchi, who has made 30 appearances in each of the last two s…

FC Tokyo on Monday announced the release of striker Fran Sandaza. The Spaniard arrived in the capital last summer, but has yet to score a goal in a total of nine MEIJI YASUDA J1 League appearances. “I want to thank everyone for their support from the day I joined the club,” Sandaza said.  “I wanted to give my best for our fan…

Vissel Kobe were the biggest winners on Sunday in 2016 Yamazaki Nabisco Cup group stage action, earning a 4-1 victory over Kashima Antlers. Pedro Junior scored twice for the hosts, with Kazuma Watanabe and Takahito Soma also finding the back of the net.  Shuto Yamamoto managed a consolation for the visitors, who have started their title defence w…

As the 2016 J.League Under-16 Challenge League continues, teams from across the J.League’s three divisions will be joined by teams representing East and Southeast Asia beginning this week. South Korea’s Pohang Steelers, Thailand’s Chonburi FC, Vietnam’s PVF, Malaysia’s Frenz United and a squad from Cambodia’s National …