Japanese Non-league Football News

Norbritz Hokkaido took another step along the road to retaining their Hokkaido League title on Sunday, a 3-1 victory at Toyota Motors Hokkaido amounting an eleventh win in eleven games this year. Their nearest challengers continue to be a team who were playing second tier Block League football last season, but Sapporo Winds' 2-1 defeat of Barefoot Hokkaido was their seventh win on the trot.

The key action, however, was perhaps at the foot of the table, where Hokushukai pulled off a shock by beating Sapporo FC to move out of the relegation zone. Sapporo FC have spent just a single season out of the Hokkaido League since the competition began in 1978, but their status now is in serious danger. Blackpecker Hakodate are in trouble as well, as they lost to Tokachifairsky Genesis.

Sun 02 Sep: Barefoot Hokkaido 1-2 Sapporo Winds
Sun 02 Sep: Sapporo FC 1-2 Hokushukai
Sun 02 Sep: Tokachifairsky Genesis 2-1 Blackpecker Hakodate
Sun 02 Sep: Toyota Motors Hokkaido 1-3 Norbritz Hokkaido

1. Norbritz Hokkaido 33 (+43)
2. Sapporo Winds 28 (+22)
3. Barefoot Hokkaido 16 (-6)
4. Toyota Motors Hokkaido 14 (-6)
5. Tokachifairsky Genesis 10 (-14)
6. Hokushukai 9 (-22)
7. Blackpecker Hakodate 8 (-6)
8. Sapporo FC 8 (-13)

After the postponement of the original fixture between the two at the beginning of the month, on account of Blackpecker Hakodate's involvement in a teachers' football tournament, Sapporo Winds beat their southern rivals in the rescheduled game on Sunday.

Sun 26 Aug: Sapporo Winds 5-1 Blackpecker Hakodate

1. Norbritz Hokkaido 30 (+41)
2. Sapporo Winds 25 (+21)
3. Barefoot Hokkaido 16 (-5)
4. Toyota Motors Hokkaido 14 (-4)
5. Blackpecker Hakodate 8 (-5)
6. Tokachifairsky Genesis 7 (-15)
7. Sapporo FC 8 (-12)
8. Hokushukai 6 (-23)

Norbritz Hokkaido kept going their domination of the Hokkaido League on Sunday with a 4-0 at Tokachifairsky Genesis that puts them eight points clear of Sapporo Winds, whose match with Blackpecker Hakodate was postponed. At the bottom, Hokushukai gained a potentially valuable point at Toyota Motors Hokkaido, while Sapporo FC also drew with Barefoot Hokkaido.

Sun 05 Aug: Sapporo FC 2-2 Barefoot Hokkaido
Sun 05 Aug: Tokachifairsky Genesis 0-4 Norbritz Hokkaido
Sun 05 Aug: Toyota Motors Hokkaido 0-0 Hokushukai

1. Norbritz Hokkaido 30 (+41)
2. Sapporo Winds 22 (+17)
3. Barefoot Hokkaido 16 (-5)
4. Toyota Motors Hokkaido 14 (-4)
5. Blackpecker Hakodate 8 (-1)
6. Tokachifairsky Genesis 7 (-15)
7. Sapporo FC 8 (-12)
8. Hokushukai 6 (-23)

Starting at the bottom of the Hokkaido League, Sapporo FC moved off the foot of the table as they managed their second win of the season at Blackpecker Hakodate. They overtake a Hokushukai side having significant problems becoming acclimatised to Regional League football - and who lost 6-1 at runaway leaders Norbritz Hokkaido. Making a decent job of staying in touch with Norbritz are Sapporo Winds, who managed their fifth win in a row by putting five past Tokachifairsky Genesis. But in a distant third are Barefoot Hokkaido, 2-0 winners over mid-table rivals Toyota Motors Hokkaido.

Sun 29 Jul: Barefoot Hokkaido 2-0 Toyota Motors Hokkaido
Sun 29 Jul: Blackpecker Hakodate 0-1 Sapporo FC
Sun 29 Jul: Norbritz Hokkaido 6-1 Hokushukai
Sun 29 Jul: Tokachifairsky Genesis 3-5 Sapporo Winds

1. Norbritz Hokkaido 27 (+37)
2. Sapporo Winds 22 (+17)
3. Barefoot Hokkaido 15 (-5)
4. Toyota Motors Hokkaido 13 (-4)
5. Blackpecker Hakodate 8 (-1)
6. Tokachifairsky Genesis 7 (-11)
7. Sapporo FC 7 (-12)
8. Hokushukai 5 (-23)

Continuing their dominance of their Regional league are Norbritz Hokkaido, whose 8-1 thrashing of Blackpecker Hakodate completed their eighth win from eight fixtures. The nearest challengers are still Sapporo Winds, 7-1 winners over Hokushukai, the team that came up with them from the Block Leagues but who are having a much tougher time competing at the higher level. Indeed, Hokushukai stay off the bottom only because Sapporo FC's miserable year goes on, their latest defeat coming at the hands of Toyota Motors Hokkaido. Tokachifairsky Genesis are also struggling and their 3-0 loss to Barefoot Hokkaido keeps them involved in the relegation dogfight.



Tokachifairsky line up after their defeat by Barefoot

Sun 08 Jul: Blackpecker Hakodate 1-8 Norbritz Hokkaido
Sun 08 Jul: Sapporo FC 1-3 Toyota Motors Hokkaido
Sun 08 Jul: Sapporo Winds 7-1 Hokushukai
Sun 08 Jul: Tokachifairsky Genesis 0-3 Barefoot Hokkaido

1. Norbritz Hokkaido 24 (+33)
2. Sapporo Winds 19 (+15)
3. Toyota Motors Hokkaido 13 (-2)
4. Barefoot Hokkaido 12 (-6)
5. Blackpecker Hakodate 8 (-2)
6. Tokachifairsky Genesis 7 (-9)
7. Hokushukai 5 (-18)
8. Sapporo FC 4 (-13)