Japanese Non-league Football News

Viancone Fukushima emphasised their claims to win promotion from Division 2 (South) of the Tohoku League with a crushing 9-0 win over bottom side Kureha in the only match of the weekend on Sunday.



Shigeru Konno, Viancone goalscorer

Sun 05 Aug: Viancone Fukushima 9-0 Kureha

1. FC Perada Fukushima 22 (+40)
2. Viancone Fukushima 22 (+35)
3. Soma SC 16 (+10)
4. Marysol Matsushima 11 (+4)
5. Nakaniida SC 7 (-11)
6. Shichigahama SC 6 (-3)
7. Kanai Club 6 (-38)
8. Kureha 0 (-37)

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)

Club Dragons are almost sure of winning Division 2 of the Kanto League at the first attempt, as with only one match still to play they are three points ahead of MSDF Atsugi Marcus with a far superior goal difference. The weekend's games saw the Dragons extend their lead, beating Ome FC 3-2 while Atsugi could only draw at home to Furukawa Electrics Chiba. Yonoshukonkai and Kanagawa Teachers are both safe in mid-table following their 2-2 draw, while dropping down to the Prefectural Leagues will be Ome and Nirasaki Astros, 4-0 losers at Hanno Bruder.

Sat 04 Aug: Ome FC 2-3 Club Dragons

Sun 05 Aug: Hanno Bruder 4-0 Nirasaki Astros
Sun 05 Aug: Kanagawa Teachers 2-2 Yonoshukonkai
Sun 05 Aug: MSDF Atsugi Marcus 1-1 Furukawa Electrics Chiba

1. Club Dragons 29 (+29)
2. MSDF Atsugi Marcus 26 (+14)
3. Hanno Bruder 20 (+10)
4. Furukawa Electrics Chiba 20 (-2)
5. Yonoshukonkai 16 (-4)
6. Kanagawa Teachers 14 (-4)
7. Ome FC 10 (-12)
8. Nirasaki Astros 7 (-31)

Hitachi Tochigi Uva made sure of an impressive second place finish in Division 1 of the Kanto League this season, as they crushed Toho Titanium 4-0 in the penultimate round of the season's fixtures on Sunday. This places last year's Division 2 runners-up four points ahead of Luminozo Sayama, who have had an inconsistent year but beat Saitama SC 3-2. Champions FC Machida Zelvia remain on course to go through the whole year unbeaten after their win at Toshiba Fuchu - and the only key issue remaining to be decided is whether Fuchu or Saitama SC will fill the second relegation spot. 2006 champions YSCC climbed out of danger with a 4-1 defeat of bottom place Yaita SC.



Stripey Toshiba Fuchu act all coy with Machida Zelvia

Sun 05 Aug: Hitachi Tochigi Uva 4-0 Toho Titanium
Sun 05 Aug: Luminozo Sayama 3-2 Saitama SC
Sun 05 Aug: Toshiba Fuchu 2-3 FC Machida Zelvia
Sun 05 Aug: YSCC 4-1 Yaita SC

1. FC Machida Zelvia 37 (+27)
2. Hitachi Tochigi Uva 24 (+15)
3. Luminozo Sayama 20 (-3)
4. Toho Titanium 18 (-6)
5. YSCC 16 (-1)
6. Saitama SC 14 (-6)
7. Toshiba Fuchu 11 (-4)
8. Yaita SC 9 (-22)