Japanese Non-league Football News

There have been two fixtures played over the last few days in the Kyushu League, both postponed games from earlier in the year when the southernmost of Japan's four main islands was affected by typhoons. Fukuoka University students Nanakuma Tombies gave themselves a fighting chance of avoiding a bottom place finish after coming from two down to win 4-2 at fellow strugglers Kumamoto Teachers. But those teams will definitely occupy the final two positions in the standings, as Kaiho Bank SC moved out of reach with a 1-0 victory over Osumi NIFS United.

Mon 17 Sep: Kumamoto Teachers 2-4 Nanakuma Tombies

Sun 23 Sep: Osumi NIFS United 0-1 Kaiho Bank SC

1. Honda Lock 49 (+56)
2. New Wave Kitakyushu 48 (+43)
3. V Varen Nagasaki 47 (+61)
4. Nippon Steel Oita 34 (+13)
5. Volca Kagoshima 27 (+13)
6. Okinawa Kariyushi 27 (+2)
7. Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Nagasaki 22 (-22)
8. Osumi NIFS United 19 (-14)
9. Kaiho Bank SC 15 (-52)
10. Kumamoto Teachers 6 (-38)
11. Nanakuma Tombies 6 (-62)

The Kyushu League season is now heading for a thrilling climax in the final double header of the year in Kitakyushu at the end of the October. New Wave Kitakyushu might be in second place now, but they are arguably favourites given that their last two matches are against lower teams, whereas their nearest rivals Honda Lock and V Varen Nagasaki must play each other in the last game. And this potential advantage for New Wave came about as they beat current leaders Lock 3-1 on penalties after a 1-1 draw, meaning under local rules that they pick up two points to Lock's one.

V Varen, meanwhile, were winning 2-0 at Nippon Steel Oita to close the gap in third place - and with a superior goal difference, they cannot yet be discounted. With Nippon Steel safe in fourth, Okinawa Kariyushi remain one place behind them after a local derby defeat of Kaiho Bank SC, while Volca Kagoshima are also mid-table following their 4-1 win over Kumamoto Teachers. Still rooted to the foot of the table, however, are Nanakuma Tombies, 6-0 losers to Osumi NIFS United.

Sun 09 Sep: Kaiho Bank SC 2-5 Okinawa Kariyushi
Sun 09 Sep: Kumamoto Teachers 1-4 Volca Kagoshima
Sun 09 Sep: Nanakuma Tombies 0-6 Osumi NIFS United
Sun 09 Sep: New Wave Kitakyushu 1-1 Honda Lock (PK 3-1)
Sun 09 Sep: Nippon Steel Oita 0-2 V Varen Nagasaki

1. Honda Lock 49 (+56)
2. New Wave Kitakyushu 48 (+43)
3. V Varen Nagasaki 47 (+61)
4. Nippon Steel Oita 34 (+13)
5. Okinawa Kariyushi 27 (+2)
6. Volca Kagoshima 27 (-3)
7. Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Nagasaki 22 (-22)
8. Osumi NIFS United 19 (-13)
9. Kaiho Bank SC 12 (-53)
10. Kumamoto Teachers 6 (-36)
11. Nanakuma Tombies 3 (-64)

In a fixture postponed from mid-July on account of a typhoon in the region at the time, Okinawa Kariyushi beat Nippon Steel Oita 2-0 on Sunday 19 August to move ahead of both Volca Kagoshima and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Nagasaki.

Sun 19 Aug: Okinawa Kariyushi 2-0 Nippon Steel Oita

1. Honda Lock 48 (+56)
2. New Wave Kitakyushu 46 (+43)
3. V Varen Nagasaki 44 (+59)
4. Nippon Steel Oita 34 (+15)
5. Okinawa Kariyushi 24 (-1)
6. Volca Kagoshima 24 (-6)
7. Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Nagasaki 22 (-22)
8. Osumi NIFS United 16 (-19)
9. Kaiho Bank SC 12 (-50)
10. Kumamoto Teachers 6 (-33)
11. Nanakuma Tombies 3 (-58)

V Varen Nagasaki's hopes of winning the Kyushu League title for the second year running - and indeed of going on to fight for a place in the JFL next year - were dealt a hammer blow on Sunday, as a fifteenth-minute goal from experienced former J-Leaguer Shinji Fujiyoshi gave New Wave Kitakyushu a potentially crucial win. More than 2500 fans attended the game in the provincial town of Shimabara, but V Varen now lie four points behind leaders Honda Lock and have only two more games to play, one fewer than either of their rivals.

Lock themselves claimed their sixteenth win of the season at home to Volca Kagoshima, a match that the championship favourites led 2-0 after barely ten minutes. And there were only two other games staged on Sunday, as Osumi NIFS United's fixture with Kaiho Bank SC was postponed due to the threat of a typhoon. Elsewhere, however, Okinawa Kariyushi crushed Kumamoto Teachers, while Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Nagasaki moved closer to the top five as they came from behind to see off bottom side Nanakuma Tombies.



New Wave Kitakyushu go for goal against V Varen Nagasaki

Sun 12 Aug: Honda Lock 3-2 Volca Kagoshima
Sun 12 Aug: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Nagasaki 3-1 Nanakuma Tombies
Sun 12 Aug: Okinawa Kariyushi 6-0 Kumamoto Teachers
Sun 12 Aug: V Varen Nagasaki 0-1 New Wave Kitakyushu

1. Honda Lock 48 (+56)
2. New Wave Kitakyushu 46 (+43)
3. V Varen Nagasaki 44 (+59)
4. Nippon Steel Oita 34 (+17)
5. Volca Kagoshima 24 (-6)
6. Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Nagasaki 22 (-22)
7. Okinawa Kariyushi 21 (-3)
8. Osumi NIFS United 16 (-19)
9. Kaiho Bank SC 12 (-50)
10. Kumamoto Teachers 6 (-33)
11. Nanakuma Tombies 3 (-58)

The Kyushu League continues to wind up to a thrilling climax, as all three title contenders continued their run of good form with wins on Sunday. Current leaders and probable favourites Honda Lock conceded three at Okinawa Kariyushi but nevertheless knocked in six at the other end, while V Varen Nagasaki remain hot on their heels thanks to a 4-1 defeat of Volca Kagoshima. And not yet out of it in third are still New Wave Kitakyushu, 3-2 winners over Nippon Steel Oita. In the weekend's other two fixtures, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Nagasaki moved up one place in mid-table by beating Kaiho Bank SC, but Kumamoto Teachers are still in trouble near the bottom of the standings following their loss at home to Osumi NIFS United.



Mean and moody, New Wave striker Daisuke Miyakawa

Sun 05 Aug: Kaiho Bank SC 1-2 Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Nagasaki
Sun 05 Aug: Kumamoto Teachers 1-2 Osumi NIFS United
Sun 05 Aug: New Wave Kitakyushu 3-2 Nippon Steel Oita
Sun 05 Aug: Okinawa Kariyushi 3-6 Honda Lock
Sun 05 Aug: Volca Kagoshima 1-4 V Varen Nagasaki

1. Honda Lock 45 (+55)
2. V Varen Nagasaki 44 (+60)
3. New Wave Kitakyushu 43 (+42)
4. Nippon Steel Oita 34 (+17)
5. Volca Kagoshima 24 (-5)
6. Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Nagasaki 19 (-24)
7. Okinawa Kariyushi 18 (-9)
8. Osumi NIFS United 16 (-19)
9. Kaiho Bank SC 12 (-50)
10. Kumamoto Teachers 6 (-27)
11. Nanakuma Tombies 3 (-56)