Japanese Non-league Football News

Shizuoka FC retain the narrowest of leads at the top of the Tokai League Division 1 after round 4 of fixtures on Sunday. Their 3-2 win at Maruyasu Industry means that they continue to hold onto pole position on goal difference from FC Gifu, more comfortable victors over Chukyo University. The bottom two sides played each other on Saturday and Fujieda City Hall picked up their first points of the season with a 1-0 win at ACM Central, but promoted outfit Sagawa Kyubin Chukyo continued their own disappointing start to life in the top flight with a home defeat to Yazaki Valente.



Yuki Tazawa goes for goal for FC Gifu against Chukyo University

Sat 27 May: ACM Central 0-1 Fujieda City Hall

Sun 28 May: FC Gifu 2-0 Chukyo University
Sun 28 May: Maruyasu Industry 2-3 Shizuoka FC
Sun 28 May: Sagawa Kyubin Chukyo 1-2 Yazaki Valente

1 Shizuoka FC 10 (+10)
2 FC Gifu 10 (+7)
3 Maruyasu Industry 7 (+2)
4 Yazaki Valente 6 (-)
5 Chukyo University 5 (-1)
6 Sagawa Kyubin Chukyo 3 (-2)
7 Fujieda City Hall 3 (-8)
8 ACM Central 1 (-8)



Shizuoka's Yasuhiro Tanaka, scorer of the winner v Maruyasu Industry

With the postponement of the scheduled fixture between Kureha Chemicals and Furukawa Battery, there was only one game played in Division 2 (South) of the Tohoku League this weekend. Marisol Matsushima eased past Shichigahama SC and thus maintained their 100% record in five matches thus far. This puts them nine points clear at the top, although second placed Furukawa already have three games in hand.

Sun 28 May: Shichigahama SC 0-4 Marisol Matsushima

Some late scorelines from a week ago in Division 2 (North) of the Tohoku League, as well as a further two fixtures from Sunday. Favourites FC Akita Cambiare made it four wins out of four, having seen off the challenge of both TDK Shinwakai and Fuji Club 2003, who had earlier lost their first ever game at Regional level to Tono Club. It seems likely that Mizusawa United Club, in their second year out of the Prefectural leagues, might be Cambiare's nearest rivals, and they knocked five past Vanrarure Hachinohe.



Ryosuke Yamaoka, scorer of the winner v Fuji Club for Cambiare

Sun 21 May: Mizusawa United Club 5-3 Vanrarure Hachinohe
Sun 21 May: TDK Shinwakai 1-3 FC Akita Cambiare
Sun 21 May: Tono Club 2-1 Fuji Club 2003

Sun 28 May: FC Akita Cambiare 2-1 Fuji Club 2003
Sun 28 May: Vanrarure Hachinohe 3-1 TDK Shinwakai

1 FC Akita Cambiare 12 (+7)
2 Mizusawa United Club 6 (+3)
3 Vanrarure Hachinohe 6 (-)
4 Tono Club 4 (+1)
5 TDK Shinwakai 4 (-3)
6 Fuji Club 2003 0 (-2)
7 Hokuto Bank 0 (-2)
8 Aster Aomori 0 (-4)



Mizusawa in blue take on Vanrarure

Just two fixtures to report on from Sunday's action in the Chugoku League - and following on from their defeat of Renofa Yamaguchi, Fagiano Okayama are now two points ahead of Sagawa Kyubin Chugoku and five in front FC Central Chugoku, although Sagawa and FC Central do have one and two games in hand respectively. In the other match, JFE Steel moved off the bottom of the table in fine style, thanks to a 4-0 win over Hitachi Manufacturing Kasado.



Renofa Yamaguchi in orange on the attack against Fagiano Okayama

Sun 28 May: Hitachi Manufacturing Kasado 0-4 JFE Steel
Sun 28 May: Renofa Yamaguchi 0-3 Fagiano Okayama

1 Fagiano Okayama 12 (+14)
2 Sagawa Kyubin Chugoku 10 (+6)
3 FC Central Chugoku 7 (+6)
4 Hiroshima Fujita SC 6 (+1)
5 Renofa Yamaguchi 6 (-8)
6 JFE Steel 5 (-3)
7 Iwami SC 3 (-10)
8 Hitachi Manufacturing Kasado 2 (-6)