Japanese Non-league Football News

In the last round of the Chugoku League season proper, Fagiano Okayama duly retained their 100% record for the whole year by beating their nearest challengers FC Central Chugoku. Sagawa Kyubin Chugoku just held on to third spot by the narrowest of margins, despite a remarkable 7-5 defeat at Renofa Yamaguchi. Hiroshima Fujita SC pulled themselves up into mid-table thanks to a win over neighbours JFE Steel Western Japan and promoted side Mazda SC will be pleased with their first season back at Regional level. They won 1-0 against Hitachi Manufacturing Kasado in the final match before the play-offs begin on 7th October.

Sun 09 Sep: FC Central Chugoku 0-2 Fagiano Okayama
Sun 09 Sep: JFE Steel Wester Japan 2-3 Hiroshima Fujita SC
Sun 09 Sep: Mazda SC 1-0 Hitachi Manufacturing Kasado
Sun 09 Sep: Renofa Yamaguchi 7-5 Sagawa Kyubin Chugoku

1. Fagiano Okayama 42 (+74)
2. FC Central Chugoku 30 (+16)
3. Sagawa Kyubin Chugoku 21 (-)
4. Renofa Yamaguchi 21 (-1)
5. Hiroshima Fujita SC 17 (-8)
6. Mazda SC 15 (-13)
7. JFE Steel Western Japan 11 (-23)
8. Hitachi Manufacturing Kasado 6 (-45)

Now seven points clear at the top of the JFL are Sagawa Kyubin SC, after two goals from leading scorer Sho Gokyu helped them to a 3-0 win at out-of-form Yokogawa Musashino. Second place Rosso Kumamoto seem assured of a place in J2 next season, but while FC Gifu are clinging on to the required top four spot, it's surely all over for another season for Tochigi SC. The J-League associate members crashed 3-0 at home to Honda FC, who notched up all their goals in eighteen blistering first half minutes, leaving Tochigi marooned in the lower half of the table. Indeed, they're only a couple of points ahead of predicted relegation candidates Sagawa Printing, who were in turn 4-1 losers to lowly Gainare Tottori.

Sun 09 Sep: Sagawa Printing 1-4 Gainare Tottori
Sun 09 Sep: Tochigi SC 0-3 Honda FC
Sun 09 Sep: Yokogawa Musashino 0-3 Sagawa Kyubin SC

1. Sagawa Kyubin SC 61 (+41)
2. Rosso Kumamoto 54 (+23)
3. YKK AP 47 (+12)
4. FC Gifu 43 (+8)
5. Alo's Hokuriku 43 (+4)
6. Honda FC 41 (+12)
7. JEF Reserves 39 (+1)
8. Yokogawa Musashino 38 (+2)
9. Ryutsu Keizai University 38 (+1)
10. Tochigi SC 35 (+6)
11. Mitsubishi Mizushima 34 (-4)
12. Sagawa Printing 33 (-5)
13. Sony Sendai 31 (-14)
14. TDK SC 30 (+2)
15. Gainare Tottori 30 (-5)
16. FC Kariya 26 (-15)
17. FC Ryukyu 20 (-33)
18. Arte Takasaki 6 (-36)

Rosso Kumamoto lost ground on JFL leaders Sagawa Kyubin SC in the big game of the day on Saturday, going down 2-1 at home to a YKK AP side who would appear to be doing their level best to impact upon the title race. Midfielder Daisuke Asahi netted the winner in the dying seconds to complete a come-from-behind win for YKK, after Kiyoshi Saito had given Rosso a seventeenth-minute lead.
And promotion hopefuls FC Gifu also threw away an early advantage, eventually losing 2-1 to lowly FC Kariya - a result that could have a serious impact upon Gifu's dreams of a top four finish and a place in J2 next year.

Indeed, they would be out of the promotion places already if Alo's Hokuriku hadn't twice failed to hold on to the lead against TDK SC. A 2-2 draw nevertheless keeps Alo's in fifth on goal difference - while one place and four points below them are JEF Reserves, for whom midfield man Taro Kawano was the scorer in a 1-0 win over an FC Ryukyu side that have now lost four games in a row. One of the teams moving further away from them in the lower half of the table are Sony Sendai, whose recent good form continued as they defeated Mitsubishi Mizushima. But Arte Takasaki are still rooted to the bottom of the division as they lost to Ryutsu Keizai University.

Sat 08 Sep: Alo's Hokuriku 2-2 TDK SC
Sat 08 Sep: Arte Takasaki 1-3 Ryutsu Keizai University
Sat 08 Sep: FC Kariya 2-1 FC Gifu
Sat 08 Sep: JEF Reserves 1-0 FC Ryukyu
Sat 08 Sep: Rosso Kumamoto 1-2 YKK AP
Sat 08 Sep: Sony Sendai 2-0 Mitsubishi Mizushima

1. Sagawa Kyubin SC 58 (+38)
2. Rosso Kumamoto 54 (+23)
3. YKK AP 47 (+12)
4. FC Gifu 43 (+8)
5. Alo's Hokuriku 43 (+4)
6. JEF Reserves 39 (+1)
7. Honda FC 38 (+9)
8. Yokogawa Musashino 38 (+5)
9. Ryutsu Keizai University 38 (+1)
10. Tochigi SC 35 (+9)
11. Mitsubishi Mizushima 34 (-4)
12. Sagawa Printing 33 (-2)
13. Sony Sendai 31 (-14)
14. TDK SC 30 (+2)
15. Gainare Tottori 27 (-8)
16. FC Kariya 26 (-15)
17. FC Ryukyu 20 (-33)
18. Arte Takasaki 6 (-36)