Japanese Non-league Football News

Two rounds into the new season and the Shikoku League is in a state of shock. Last year's champions Kamatamare Sanuki and their predecessors from the south, Nangoku Kochi, may well have won both their matches with ease, chalking up an impressive goal difference on the way - but neither of them are top of the league table. That honour currently falls to Tokushima Vortis Amateur, playing only its second year of Regional League football and a club that experienced a mediocre 2006.

Vortis hammered Ehime Shimanami 9-1 away on Sunday to move into pole position, while Nangoku were themselves putting eight past their neighbours from Sanwa Club. Kamatamare claimed a 6-0 win over Tokushima Comprille SC - the former Alex SC - and demonstrated the gradual broadening of their appeal locally with a promising 800 crowd, who saw a hat-trick from experienced midfielder Yasuhiro Koide. In the other game, Sanyo Electric Tokushima bounced back from last week's defeat by Vortis to record a 3-0 win over Ventana AC.



Kamatamare Sanuki battle it out with Tokushima Comprille in white

Sun 15 Apr: Ehime Shimanami 1-9 Tokushima Vortis Amateur
Sun 15 Apr: Kamatamare Sanuki 6-0 Tokushima Comprille SC
Sun 15 Apr: Sanwa Club 0-8 Nangoku Kochi
Sun 15 Apr: Sanyo Electric Tokushima 3-0 Ventana AC

1. Tokushima Vortis Amateur 6 (+12)
2. Kamatamare Sanuki 6 (+9)
3. Nangoku Kochi 6 (+9)
4. Sanyo Electric Tokushima 3 (-1)
5. Ventana AC 3 (-2)
6. Tokushima Comprille SC 0 (-7)
7. Ehime Shimanami 0 (-9)
8. Sanwa Club 0 (-11)



Sanyo Electric Tokushima put one over Ventana AC