Japanese Non-league Football News

NEC Tokin maintained their position at the top of the Tohoku League Division 1 on Sunday with a 4-0 drubbing of bottom placed side Sendai Nakata Club. Still in second - and crucially with two games in hand over NEC - are pre-season favourites Grulla Morioka, 3-1 winners against shock strugglers FC Primeiro. The other two matches ended in draws, as Furukawa Battery kept going their good start to the year with a point at Wiese Shiogama, while Nippon Steel Kamaishi moved out of the relegation zone thanks to their 2-2 tie with Morioka Zebra.



A Wiese Shiogama free kick against Furukawa Battery

Sun 03 Jun: Grulla Morioka 3-1 FC Primeiro
Sun 03 Jun: Nippon Steel Kamaishi 2-2 Morioka Zebra
Sun 03 Jun: Sendai Nakata Club 0-4 NEC Tokin
Sun 03 Jun: Wiese Shiogama 2-2 Furukawa Battery

1. NEC Tokin 15 (+12)
2. Grulla Morioka 12 (+10)
3. Furukawa Battery 10 (+2)
4. Wiese Shiogama 7 (+1)
5. Morioka Zebra 7 (-3)
6. Nippon Steel Kamaishi 4 (-7)
7. FC Primeiro 3 (-3)
8. Sendai Nakata Club 0 (-12)

Frontrunners Shizuoka FC and Yazaki Valente both made it four wins out of four since the stat of the season in Division 1 of the Tokai League on Sunday. Shizuoka, fresh from the announcement of their shirt sponsorship with Kazu Miura, celebrated with a 2-0 win at nearby Fujieda City Hall, while Yazaki put five past promoted side Honda Suzuka. In the one other fixture, Chukyo University gained their first points of the year by beating Maruyasu Industries 2-0, but are still in the relegation zone.

Sun 03 Jun: Chukyo University 2-0 Maruyasu Industries
Sun 03 Jun: Fujieda City Hall 0-2 Shizuoka FC
Sun 03 Jun: Honda Suzuka 1-5 Yazaki Valente

1. Shizuoka FC 12 (+16)
2. Yazaki Valente 12 (+12)
3. Fujieda City Hall 6 (-1)
4. Sagawa Kyubin Chukyo 4 (-1)
5. Honda Suzuka 4 (-8)
6. Maruyasu Industries 3 (-3)
7. Chukyo University 3 (-5)
8. Kasugai Club 0 (-8)

2006 Fukushima Prefectural League champions Soma SC continued their excellent start to the season on Sunday. Their 1-0 win over Marysol Matsushima - in what was the only fixture of the day in Division 2 (South) of the Tohoku League - puts them second in the table at the expense of neighbours Viancone Fukushima.

Sun 03 Jun: Marysol Matsushima 0-1 Soma SC

1. FC Perada Fukushima 13 (+23)
2. Soma SC 12 (+8)
3. Viancone Fukushima 10 (+15)
4. Marysol Matsushima 4 (-1)
5. Nakaniida SC 4 (-3)
6. Shichigahama SC 3 (-1)
7. Kanai Club 3 (-28)
8. Kureha 0 (-13)

It was all change at the top of Division 2 (North) of the Tohoku League on Sunday, as previous leaders FC Akita Cambiare lost for the second week running. In pole position now are Tono Club, champions of the division in 2005 but a club who have subsequently failed to compete with the challenge of a strong Cambiare side. The other two fixtures, meanwhile, ended in draws between mid-table pair Fuji Club 2003 and Mizusawa Club, and between strugglers Vanraure Hachinohe and Omiya Club.

Sun 03 Jun: FC Akita Cambiare 1-3 Tono Club
Sun 03 Jun: Fuji Club 2003 2-2 Mizusawa Club
Sun 03 Jun: Vanraure Hachinohe 2-2 Omiya Club

1. Tono Club 12 (+5)
2. FC Akita Cambiare 10 (+9)
3. Fuji Club 2003 7 (+3)
4. Saruta Industry 6 (+2)
5. Mizusawa Club 5 (+2)
6. Hokuto Bank 3 (-2)
7. Vanraure Hachinohe 3 (-7)
8. Omiya Club 1 (-12)

There were only three games played in Division 2 of the Tokai League this Sunday, but Konica Minolta Toyokawa and Nagoya Club were both able to extend their gap between themselves as frontrunners and the rest of the chasing pack. Konica Minolta pulled off a 3-1 win at struggling FC Kawasaki, while Nagoya had a yet easier ride as they beat bottom side Morishin's FC 3-0. In the other game, newcomers MIE Rampole drew 0-0 with Mind House Yokkaichi to stay mid-table.



Morishin’s tackle each other against Nagoya Club

Sun 03 Jun: FC Kawasaki 1-3 Konica Minolta Toyokawa
Sun 03 Jun: MIE Rampole 0-0 Mind House Yokkaichi
Sun 03 Jun: Morishin's FC 0-3 Nagoya Club

1. Konica Minolta Toyokawa 10 (+9)
2. Nagoya Club 10 (+5)
3. Fuyo Club 6 (+1)
4. Mind House Yokkaichi 6 (+1)
5. MIE Rampole 5 (+1)
6. Toyota Football Group 1 (-3)
7. FC Kawasaki 1 (-4)
8. Morishin's FC 1 (-10)



The tigerish MIE Rampole vs Mind House clash. Grrrrrrowl

There were draws in three of the key JFL fixtures over the weekend and a low level of goalscoring generally in round 14 of Japan's third tier. Leaders Sagawa Kyubin SC were trailing to a 56th-minute Yutaka Takahashi goal at Rosso Kumamoto in the game of the day, only for defender Takashi Kageyama to grab the equaliser nine minutes later. But second place FC Gifu were unable to capitalise, as they were held to a tie at YKK AP - and the same thing happened at Tochigi SC, where the hosts are without a win in five matches after their goalless encounter with TDK SC.

Yokogawa Musashino moved fourth thanks to their 1-0 win over Honda FC on Saturday - but the big climbers of the day were JEF Reserves, who finally made it in to the top half of the table after they beat FC Kariya 2-0, thanks to goals either side of half time from defender Yuya Torikai and forward Kim Dong Soo. JEF were assisted in their jump up the table not only by Honda's defeat but also that of Alo's Hokuriku, who surprisingly slumped to a 1-0 loss at home to Mitsubishi Mizushima, Shinpei Nakagawa getting the decisive goal.

Gainare Tottori beat FC Ryukyu 3-1 on Saturday with a hat-trick from new striker Keigo Kamada, but it was not until the following day and Sony Sendai's 2-0 win over Ryutsu Keizai University that the Okinawans finally fell into the bottom two places. Nevertheless, Arte Takasaki remain at the foot of the division after they threw away a rare 1-0 lead to lose to Sagawa Printing. Former Thespa Kusatsu midfielder Yohei Takasu had opened the scoring for Arte just before the break, only for Hiroaki Takahashi and Hirokazu Otsubo to steal the points for Sagawa.



Flag-waving at Gainare Tottori

Sat 02 Jun: Gainare Tottori 3-1 FC Ryukyu
Sat 02 Jun: Yokogawa Musashino 1-0 Honda FC

Sun 03 Jun: Alo's Hokuriku 0-1 Mitsubishi Mizushima
Sun 03 Jun: Arte Takasaki 1-2 Sagawa Printing
Sun 03 Jun: JEF Reserves 2-0 FC Kariya
Sun 03 Jun: Rosso Kumamoto 1-1 Sagawa Kyubin SC
Sun 03 Jun: Sony Sendai 2-0 Ryutsu Keizai University
Sun 03 Jun: Tochigi SC 0-0 TDK SC
Sun 03 Jun: YKK AP 0-0 FC Gifu

1. Sagawa Kyubin SC 35 (+24)
2. FC Gifu 33 (+12)
3. Rosso Kumamoto 31 (+14)
4. Yokogawa Musashino 24 (+9)
5. Tochigi SC 23 (+8)
6. YKK AP 22 (+6)
7. JEF Reserves 21 (+3)
8. Honda FC 20 (+3)
9. Alo's Hokuriku 20 (-3)
10. TDK SC 19 (-1)
11. Gainare Tottori 17 (-2)
12. Ryutsu Keizai University 16 (-4)
13. Mitsubishi Mizushima 16 (-4)
14. Sagawa Printing 16 (-8)
15. FC Kariya 13 (-7)
16. Sony Sendai 11 (-16)
17. FC Ryukyu 10 (-15)
18. Arte Takasaki 4 (-19)



It’s JEF Reserves forward Kim Ding Soo

A hat-trick by striker Hiroshi Kato last weekend helped Kamatamare Sanuki to a vital 6-2 win at rivals Nangoku Kochi to pile the pressure on shock Shikoku League leaders Tokushima Vortis Amateur. But Vortis on Sunday beat neighbours Tokushima Comprille SC 2-0, both goals coming from star forward Hideo Okamoto, to keep their noses in front at the top.

It's now going to be very difficult for Comprille to escape the relegation play-offs, as they are six points behind the nearest team, Ventana AC, after the latter's 2-1 victory away at wooden spooners Sanwa Club. Surprise strugglers Ehime Shimanami also managed their third win of the season, 1-0 against Sanyo Electric Tokushima, to banish their own fears of the drop.



Ventana in blue clash with Sanwa Club

Sun 27 May: Nangoku Kochi 2-6 Kamatamare Sanuki

Sun 03 Jun: Sanwa Club 1-2 Ventana AC
Sun 03 Jun: Sanyo Electric Tokushima 0-1 Ehime Shimanami
Sun 03 Jun: Tokushima Vortis Amateur 2-0 Tokushima Comprille SC

1. Tokushima Vortis Amateur 19 (+32)
2. Kamatamare Sanuki 19 (+26)
3. Nangoku Kochi 15 (+14)
4. Sanyo Electric Tokushima 9 (-4)
5. Ehime Shimanami 9 (-10)
6. Ventana AC 9 (-13)
7. Tokushima Comprille SC 3 (-17)
8. Sanwa Club 0 (-28)



Kamatamare Sanuki before their clash with Nangoku Kochi

The Kyushu League reached the midway point in its season with a double-header set of fixtures on Saturday and Sunday, as all eleven member clubs gathered in Okinawa for their games. And it was good news all round for Honda Lock, who won their game in hand in Saturday to move top of the table - and then on Sunday triumphed in the big match of the season so far, 3-1 against ambitious V Varen Nagasaki.

But matters look even worse for the 2006 champions when combined with a pair of victories for New Wave Kitakyushu - including an 11-0 thumping of Kaiho Bank SC - which sees the Fukuoka-based hopefuls coached by Jorge Yonashiro move ahead of V Varen into second place. Just about clinging on to hopes of a top two finish are Nippon Steel Oita, 1-0 winners on Sunday against Kumamoto Teachers.

It was a good weekend's work for Okinawa Kariyushi and Volca Kagoshima, both of whom scored good wins against some of the weaker teams in the league to move into comfortable mid-table positions. Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Nagasaki suffered a pair of losses but surely have enough to steer clear of the battle to avoid the bottom two. Osumi NIFS United are right on the fringe of that fight after their defeat of Mitsubishi, but Kaiho Bank and Nanakuma Tombies both continue to look outclassed at this level.



New Wave come close to scoring against Kumamoto Teachers

Sat 02 Jun: Kaiho Bank SC 0-2 Volca Kagoshima
Sat 02 Jun: Kumamoto Teachers 0-1 New Wave Kitakyushu
Sat 02 Jun: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Nagasaki 1-3 Osumi NIFS United
Sat 02 Jun: Nanakuma Tombies 0-4 Okinawa Kariyushi
Sat 02 Jun: Nippon Steel Oita 2-3 Honda Lock

Sun 03 Jun: Honda Lock 3-1 V Varen Nagasaki
Sun 03 Jun: New Wave Kitakyushu 11-0 Kaiho Bank SC
Sun 03 Jun: Nippon Steel Oita 1-0 Kumamoto Teachers
Sun 03 Jun: Okinawa Kariyushi 4-3 Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Nagasaki
Sun 03 Jun: Volca Kagoshima 9-1 Nanakuma Tombies

1. Honda Lock 27 (+31)
2. New Wave Kitakyushu 25 (+25)
3. V Varen Nagasaki 23 (+32)
4. Nippon Steel Oita 20 (+8)
5. Okinawa Kariyushi 18 (+6)
6. Volca Kagoshima 15 (-12)
7. Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Nagasaki 12 (-8)
8. Osumi NIFS United 10 (-7)
9. Kumamoto Teachers 6 (-17)
10. Kaiho Bank SC 6 (-37)
11. Nanakuma Tombies 3 (-37)



Action from Honda Lock’s vital win over V Varen Nagasaki

There were wins for all four teams in the top half of the Hokushinetsu League Division 2 on Sunday - and a five-point gap has now developed between Ohara School JaSRA in fourth and Teihens FC one place below them. Leaders Saurcos Fukui overcame bottom side Toyama Shinjo Club and Granscena Niigata made it four wins in a row as they triumphed in the derby game against CUPS Niigata.

The big winners of the round, however, were FC Antelope Shiojiri, who put five without replay past a Teihens side that started the season reasonably well but now have just a point from their past four games. Ohara meanwhile bounced back from their heavy defeat by Granscena last week to beat Maruoka Phoenix.



FC Antelope and Teihens wander amiably around

Sun 03 Jun: Granscena Niigata 2-0 CUPS Niigata
Sun 03 Jun: Maruoka Phoenix 1-2 Ohara School JaSRA
Sun 03 Jun: Teihens FC 0-5 FC Antelope Shiojiri
Sun 03 Jun: Toyama Shinjo Club 2-4 Saurcos Fukui

1. Saurcos Fukui 22 (+15)
2. Granscena Niigata 18 (+10)
3. FC Antelope Shiojiri 18 (+9)
4. Ohara School JaSRA 16 (+2)
5. Teihens FC 11 (-)
6. CUPS Niigata 8 (-8)
7. Maruoka Phoenix 6 (-6)
8. Toyama Shinjo Club 4 (-22)



The Niigata derby game, Granscena vs CUPS

2006 champions Japan Soccer College held on to pole position in the nailbiting Hokushinetsu League Division 1 on Sunday, thanks to a narrow win over Fervorosa - but a 12-0 thrashing of Niigata University of Management by Matsumoto Yamaga Club means that it is still tight at the top. 26-year-old striker Hidehito Shirao netted four times in not much more than half an hour for Matsumoto.

Close behind the front pair, however, are AC Nagano Parceiro and Zweigen Kanazawa. Nagano have won only one of their last four games and only scraped three points by beating lowly Ueda Gentian 2-1 to keep their challenge going, but Zweigen's 3-0 defeat of Valiente Toyama means that they are able to leapfrog neighbours Fervorosa and move into fourth place.



Veteran Yamaga midfielder Koji Ako on the attack against NUM

Sun 03 Jun: AC Nagano Parceiro 2-1 Ueda Gentian
Sun 03 Jun: Japan Soccer College 2-1 Fervorosa
Sun 03 Jun: Matsumoto Yamaga Club 12-0 Niigata University of Management
Sun 03 Jun: Zweigen Kanazawa 3-0 Valiente Toyama

1. Japan Soccer College 22 (+15)
2. Matsumoto Yamaga Club 21 (+30)
3. AC Nagano Parceiro 19 (+12)
4. Zweigen Kanazawa 18 (+9)
5. Fervorosa 15 (+11)
6. Valiente Toyama 6 (-9)
7. Niigata University of Management 4 (-40)
8. Ueda Gentian 1 (-28)



Zweigen forward Danilo, twice on target against Valiente

Ex-J-League pair Jefferson and Kohei Kiyama were on target four times apiece as Fagiano Okayama scored their ninth successive Chugoku League win of 2007 on Sunday. The Pheasants lie twelve points ahead of FC Central Chugoku - who didn't have a fixture - after a 13-0 crushing of Hitachi Manufacturing Kasado. So the real battle in this league is to see which team can finish second and thereby gain a place in the end-of-season promotion Play-offs alongside Fagiano. Sagawa Kyubin Chugoku's hopes of doing so suffered a setback as they went down 1-0 to improving local rivals Hiroshima Fujita SC, but Renofa Yamaguchi notched up an expected win over JFE Steel Western Japan to move into third place.



Fagiano Okayama prepare to score for the umpteenth time, probably

Sun 03 Jun: Fagiano Okayama 13-0 Hitachi Manufacturing Kasado
Sun 03 Jun: Renofa Yamaguchi 5-1 JFE Steel Western Japan
Sun 03 Jun: Sagawa Kyubin Chugoku 0-1 Hiroshima Fujita SC

1. Fagiano Okayama 27 (+49)
2. FC Central Chugoku 15 (+10)
3. Renofa Yamaguchi 14 (-1)
4. Sagawa Kyubin Chugoku 12 (+9)
5. Hiroshima Fujita SC 11 (-1)
6. Mazda SC 7 (-14)
7. JFE Steel Western Japan 7 (-16)
8. Hitachi Manufacturing Kasado 3 (-36)



Cheery Renofa fans at their team’s match with JFE