Japanese Non-league Football News

Three teams share top spot in the Tokai League Division 2, with Kasugai Club ruling the roost on goal difference, following a 3-0 win over Nagoya Club. Honda Suzuka and Konica Minolta Toyakawa joined them by beating the two promoted sides, FC Kawasaki and Morishin's FC - who currently prop up the early standings.



Fuyo Club whack in a free kick against Mind House TC

Sunday 14th May: Mind House TC 1-1 Fuyo Club
Sunday 14th May: Kasugai Club 3-0 Nagoya Club
Sunday 14th May: FC Kawasaki 2-3 Honda Suzuka 3-2
Sunday 14th May: Morishin's FC 0-2 Konica Minolta Toyokawa

1 Kasugai Club 6 (+5)
2 Konica Minolta Toyokawa 6 (+3)
3 Honda Suzuka 6 (+2)
4 Nagoya Club 3 (-2)
5 Mind House TC 1 (-1)
6 Fuyo Club 1 (-2)
7 FC Kawasaki 0 (-2)
8 Morishin's FC 0 (-3)

After their stalemate in last week's opening clash between the two, Tokai League Division 1 title hopefuls FC Gifu and Shizuoka FC wasted no time in getting their championship challenge proper underway in round 2 of this season's fixtures. Gifu saw off Fujieda City Hall 4-0, while 2005 winners Shizuoka triumphed 4-1 at Sagawa Kyubin Chukyo. In the meantime it's nevertheless Maruyasu Industry who top the division, after a single goal-victory over Yazaki Valente made it six points out of six.



FC Gifu fans at the club's Division 1 home debut against Fujieda City Hall

Sunday 14th May: Maruyasu Industry 1-0 Yazaki Valente
Sunday 14th May: ACM Central 0-0 Chukyo University
Sunday 14th May: Sagawa Kyubin Chukyo 1-4 Shizuoka FC
Sunday 14th May: FC Gifu 4-0 Fujieda City Hall

1 Maruyasu Industry 6 (+3)
2 FC Gifu 4 (+4)
3 Shizuoka FC 4 (+3)
4 Chukyo University 4 (+1)
5 Yazaki Valente 3 (-)
6 ACM Central 1 (-1)
7 Sagawa Kyubin Chukyo 0 (-4)
8 Fujieda City Hall 0 (-6)

Taking advantage of the fact that they have been scheduled three early home games in Division 2 (South) of the Tohoku League, Marisol Matsushima made it nine points out of nine on Sunday with a 1-0 win over Northern Peaks Koriyama to go top of the table. Newcomers Shichigahama SC move third, after a home draw with FC Perada took them above Furukawa Battery.



Northern Peaks in white take on Marisol Matsushima

Sunday 14th May: Marisol Matsushima 1-0 Northern Peaks Koriyama
Sunday 14th May: Shichigahama SC 3-3 FC Perada

1 Marisol Matsushima 9 (+5)
2 Northern Peaks Koriyama 6 (+1)
3 Shichigahama 4 (-)
4 Furukawa Battery 3 (+2)
5 FC Perada 1 (-3)
6 Kureha Chemicals 0 (-2)
7 Kanai Club 0 (-3)

Early leaders in Division 2 (North) of the Tohoku League are FC Akita Cambiare, 3-1 winners at Mizusawa United Club. Both the newly-promoted sides notched up their first wins at Regional League level, TDK Shinwakai beating underachievers Aster Aomori, while Vanrarure Hachinohe were too strong for Hokuto Bank.



Vanrarure against Hokuto Bank under the cherry blossom. Awww

Sunday 14th May: Mizusawa United Club 1-3 FC Akita Cambiare
Sunday 14th May: TDK Shinwakai 1-0 Aster Aomori
Sunday 14th May: Vanrarure Hachinohe 2-0 Hokuto Bank

1 FC Akita Cambiare 6 (+4)
2 TDK Shinwakai 4 (+1)
3 Mizusawa United Club 3 (+1)
4 Vanrarure Hachinohe 3 (-)
5 Tono Club 1 (-)
6 Fuji Club 2003 -
7 Hokuto Bank 0 (-2)
8 Aster Aomori 0 (-4)

2005 joint champions TDK Akita and Grulla Morioka moved to the top of the early-season 2006 Tohoku League Division 1 table on Sunday, with convincing wins over Nippon Steel Kamaishi and Fukushima's FC Primeiro respectively. Morioka Zebra have now lost three out of three after a 4-1 loss at NEC Tokin.



A genuine Grulla Morioka bento box, from their away trip to FC Primeiro

Sunday 14th May: TDK Akita 7-0 Nippon Steel Kamaishi
Sunday 14th May: NEC Tokin 4-1 Morioka Zebra
Sunday 14th May: FC Primeiro 1-3 Grulla Morioka

1 TDK Akita 6 (+11)
2 Grulla Morioka 6 (+3)
3 NEC Tokin 4 (+3)
4 FC Primeiro 4 (-1)
5 Wiese Shiogama 2 (-)
6 Sendai Nakata Club -
7 Morioka Zebra 0 (-8)
8 Nippon Steel Kamaishi 0 (-8)

Kamatamare Sanuki stole a potentially vital march in the race for this year's Shikoku League crown, when they defeated title holders Nangoku Kochi 1-0 on Sunday. Striker Eiji Natsuda grabbed the only goal in the sixteenth minutes to open up a five-point gap between the two teams in the current table. Ehime Shimanami are Kamatamare's closest challengers after they beat Sanyo Electric Tokushima 3-0. In the bottom half of the division, Alex SC and newcomers Tokushima Vortis Amateur both gained their first wins of the year, as Sanwa Club and Ventana AC look as if they will now find it hard to avoid the relegation play-offs.



Kamatamare Sanuki celebrate their 1-0 win over champions Nangoku Kochi

Sun 14 May: Kamatamare Sanuki 1-0 Nangoku Kochi
Sun 14 May: Ventana AC 1-5 Alex SC
Sun 14 May: Tokushima Vortis Amateur 3-0 Sanwa Club
Sun 14 May: Ehime Shimanami 3-0 Sanyo Electric Tokushima

1 Kamatamare Sanuki 15 (+13)
2 Ehime Shimanami 13 (+12)
3 Nangoku Kochi 10 (+9)
4 Sanyo Electric Tokushima 10 (+3)
5 Alex SC 4 (-3)
6 Tokushima Vortis Amateur 4 (-6)
7 Sanwa Club 1 (-8)
8 Ventana AC 0 (-20)

A single Eiji Komine goal early in the second half against Kaiho Bank SC on Sunday was enough to send pre-season favourites V Varen Nagasaki to the top of the Kyushu League for the first time this year. Previous front-runners Nippon Steel Oita slipped up at home to a resurgent New Wave Kitakyushu to drop back to second on goal difference - V Varen take on New Wave this coming weekend in what is looking like a crunch fixture. Elsewhere, Okinawa Kariyushi thumped promoted Nanakuma Tombies 5-0 to move mid-table, while Osumi NIFS United gained a potentially vital win of their own in the battle to avoid relegation when they overcame fellow strugglers Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Nagasaki 2-1.



Soaking up the atmosphere before Kariyushi give Nanakuma five of the best

Sun 14 May: Kaiho Bank SC 0-1 V Varen Nagasaki
Sun 14 May: Nippon Steel Oita 1-2 New Wave Kitakyushu
Sun 14 May: Nanakuma Tombies 0-5 Okinawa Kariyushi
Sun 14 May: Osumi NIFS United 2-1 Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Nagasaki

1 V Varen Nagasaki 15 (+14)
2 Nippon Steel Oita 15 (+13)
3 Volca Kagoshima 12 (+7)
4 New Wave Kitakyushu 12 (+7)
5 Okinawa Kariyushi 9 (+3)
6 Osumi NIFS United 6 (-4)
7 Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Nagasaki 3 (-6)
8 Kaiho Bank SC 0 (-15)
9 Nanakuma Tombies 0 (-19)



Cowabunga - grey-shirted Nippon Steel on the way to defeat against New Wave



It's all smiles for V Varen Nagasaki goalscorer Eiji Komine