Japanese Non-league Football News

There's no doubt where the key JFL match was on Sunday, as promotion-chasing FC Gifu fell to a disastrous 3-1 home defeat at the hands of champions Sagawa Kyubin SC. This means that Gifu are now only two points ahead of fifth-placed Honda FC with one game to go - although the Greens should be safe, seeing as that particular game is against bottom team Arte Takasaki.

Honda themselves overtook a YKK AP team who have gone into a slump following coach Hiroshi Sowa's decision to field a weakened line-up in the last couple of matches. A resurgent Yokogawa Musashino may yet have a part to play as they moved back up to seventh with a 1-0 win in Okayama against Mitsubishi Mizushima, while promoted Rosso Kumamoto drew 2-2 at TDK SC.

If there is to be a relegation play-off it will be FC Ryukyu who might have to take part in it. The Okinawans will now definitely finish second bottom, as a result of their draw with Sony Sendai. In the other game, JEF Reserves were 2-1 winners at home to Gainare Tottori.

Sun 25 Nov: FC Gifu 1-3 Sagawa Kyubin SC
FC Ryukyu 2-2 Sony Sendai
Honda FC 3-0 YKK AP
JEF Reserves 2-1 Gainare Tottori
Mitsubishi Mizushima 0-1 Yokogawa Musashino
TDK SC 2-2 Rosso Kumamoto

1. Sagawa Kyubin SC 77 (+47)
2. Rosso Kumamoto 66 (+28)
3. Alo's Hokuriku 58 (+15)
4. FC Gifu 57 (+12)
- - - - - - - - - - - -
5. Honda FC 55 (+22)
6. YKK AP 55 (+8)
7. Yokogawa Musashino 54 (+7)
8. JEF Reserves 51 (+5)
9. Tochigi SC 49 (+13)
10. Ryutsu Keizai University 44 (+2)
11. Sagawa Printing 43 (-8)
12. TDK SC 42 (+5)
13. Sony Sendai 41 (-14)
14. Gainare Tottori 39 (-8)
15. Mitsubishi Mizushima 35 (-15)
16. FC Kariya 28 (-22)
17. FC Ryukyu 24 (-45)
18. Arte Takasaki 7 (-52)