Japanese Non-league Football News

The Hokushinetsu League Division 1 title race for 2006 is realistically now down to only two contenders with a single match remaining, as the top three teams all registered narrow wins on Sunday - meaning that Matsumoto Yamaga Club's brave challenge is over, despite beating neighbours Ueda Gentian 1-0. They are now two points behind front runners Nagano Elsa and just one behind Japan Soccer College, but the leading pair meet in a title decider in September and Matsumoto's far inferior goal difference means that it is virtually impossible for them to take the title, whatever the score between their two rivals. On Sunday, however, Nagano Elsa had probably the toughest game but still overcame Zweigen Kanazawa 2-1, while Japan Soccer College were 2-0 winners over Fervorosa. In the other fixture, relegated Teihens FC capped a terrible year with a 4-3 home defeat to Niigata University of Management - but all attention now is on that final round of matches.



Action from Japan Soccer College’s win over Fervorosa (white)

Sun 23 Jul: Japan Soccer College 2-0 Fervorosa
Sun 23 Jul: Matsumoto Yamaga Club 1-0 Ueda Gentian
Sun 23 Jul: Nagano Elsa 2-1 Zweigen Kanazawa
Sun 23 Jul: Teihens FC 3-4 Niigata University of Management

1 Nagano Elsa 33 (+44)
2 Japan Soccer College 32 (+32)
3 Matsumoto Yamaga Club 31 (+23)
4 Zweigen Kanazawa 21 (+22)
5 Fervorosa 11 (-10)
6 Niigata University of Management 11 (-32)
7 Ueda Gentian 7 (-29)
8 Teihens FC 2 (-50)




Zweigen Kanazawa put Nagano Elsa under pressure