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Japanese Soccer News - October 2004

National Team Men | J.League Round-up

Japanese Soccer News
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Japan National Team

World Cup Qualifiers

In a must-win match against Oman, Japan held on for a 1-0 victory in Muscat. Needing only a tie to win the top spot in Group 3 - and thus go through to next year's Final Round of qualifying matches for Germany 2006.

Japan took honors in the Group by winning five of five matches, giving it a perfect 15 points.

With one match left in Group play, it is impossible for Oman to catch Japan. Japan will join the winners of the other seven groups, which currently include Uzbekistan, North Korea, and Saudi Arabia.

After the final matches, in November, the eight winners will be placed in two groups, from which the top two teams automatically qualify for Germany.

The two third-place teams meet in a home-and-home play-off to decide who will face the fourth-place team from the CONCACAF confederation in a two-leg play-off with the winner qualifying for the World Cup.

In spite of having downed the Omanis in the Asian Cup in July - and leading the current Group comfortably - Japan was by no means favored to win.

A typhoon delayed the team's already late departure, giving Japan only a few days to adjust to brutal Gulf heat. Moreover, unlucky to lose to Japan in China, Oman was clearly looking to avenge that loss. Had Oman won, Japan's World Cup campaign would have been thrown into doubt. And Coach Zico's head may well have rolled. Alas, though, things did not work out as hoped.

Playing for a tie from kickoff, Japan was overwhelmed early by an energetic Omani side. Without two-time Asian Player of the Year Hidetoshi Nakata and West Bromwich midfielder Junichi Inamoto, the midfield was left to Shunsuke Nakamura. Having failed to score in the first half, Oman seemed to lose its edge. Then in the seventh minute of the second half, Japan forward Takayuki Suzuki headed in a Nakamura free kick. At this point, man of the match defender Yuji Nakazawa closed down the Omani attack. Oman threatened several times, but the match ended 1-0.

The final qualifier for Japan will be held on November 17th against Singapore at Saitama Stadium. With Japan having already qualified for the final round, Coach Zico plans on calling up aging stars Kazuyoshi Miura, Masashi Nakayama, and Yutaka Akita for one final national team match.

Kyoto Purple Sanga Poster

Coach Zico--on yet Another Holiday in Brazil--Defends Call Up of Kazu et al for Singapore Match

Coach Zico is back in Brazil, again. In an interview from Rio de Janeiro, Zico defended the controversial selection of the "golden oldies" troika of Kazu Miura, Masashi Nakayama, and Yutaka Akita for the final World Cup qualifier against Singapore in November. Japan has already qualified for the final round with one match to play. Back in Japan, there has been criticism that Zico is not taking the match seriously and that a "swan song" call-up is an unnecessary distraction when he could instead use the match to test younger players. A tanned Zico, however, said that he is sticking to his guns and will call the three up for the match.

Europe-based players: Fiorentina's Hidetoshi Nakata

Coming back from a groin injury, Nakata is just starting to get playing time for Fiorentina. In his first start, Nakata was booed off the pitch by Fiorentina fans for his lackluster performance.

Junichi Inamoto at West Brom

Dumped over the summer by Fulham after breaking his leg in a friendly against England, Ina was picked up by West Brom. He transferred from Osaka Gamba for 200,000 pounds. He may finally have found his level after stints at Arsenal and Fulham.

Naohiro Takahara in the Bundesliga

In other news, striker Hamburg SV may be headed for relegation. Coach Klaus Toppmoeller was fired in early October with the club languishing at the bottom of the table. Japan forward Naohiro Takahara returned from a five-month absence due to economy class syndrome. And scored both goals in a recent 2-1 win over Hertha Berlin in mid-October.

Feyenoord's Shinji Ono

Japan midfielder Ono missed two golden chances for Feyenoord in a Dutch leage match against Roda JC. However, he had a part in one goal, and his team won 2-0. Feyenoord are now in first place.

Daisuke Matsui in France

Former Kyoto Purple Sanga midfielder Matusi transferred to Le Mans in the French Second Division. Matsui chose to go to France because "they let you dribble at goal." Also, he said that he hoped to avoid the mistake so many of his Europe-bound countrymen - hired to sell shirts to Japanese tourists, only to end up riding the bench at a famous club.

J.League Roundup: Urawa Reds Close in on Stage Title

Following week 9 of the second stage of the 2004 season, the primary question is, Can anyone catch the Urawa Reds? The next question might be: can former powerhouse Jubilo sink any lower?

Flags at Nishikyogoku

Game Day at Nishikyogoku

Led by German duo Guido Buchwald and Gert Engels, the Reds are five points clear with six matches remaining.

If as expected they win, the Reds will face first stage winner Yokohama Marinos in a December championship playoff. Tatsuya Tanaka and Emerson - the best frontline in the J.League - were held scoreless in a draw with the Marinos on the 17th of October. Credit for this goes mainly to Yuji Nakazawa.

At the other end of the table, Jubilo is slouching towards a "rebuilding year" next year. With its stable of aging former national team players - who waddle around the pitch on weakened knees - the once great Jubilo has collapsed in the Second Stage.

After an impressive second place finish in Stage One, Jubilo now has but seven points from nine matches and sits in 14th place. When oh when will we see the likes of Japan born-and-bred Bobby Cullen? Cullen stars for the under-20 squad but sees little time in the starting lineup for Jubilo.

In other Jubilo news, Japan's Olympic teach coach, Masakuni Yamamoto, has been appointed as the team's new head coach. The 46-year-old served as assistant to former national team manager Philippe Troussier during the 2002 World Cup.

Niigata Earthquake

As a result of Saturday's massive earthquake in the Niigata region of Japan, Albirex Niigata's home match against Kashiwa Reysol scheduled for October 30th has been postponed until further notice.

Japanese Thugs

Following a 3-2 home defeat to Urawa Reds on October 24, Kashima Antlers fans stormed the pitch in a melee that bloodied midfielder Yasuto Endo. Thugs got things going by throwing a beer can at the players after the match. When Endo replied in kind by hurling the can back into the stands, around 30 fans ran onto the field to confront the 35-year-old. They pulled at his hair and forced him into the goal net.

Following this, police questioned 32 people for three hours. The club will henceforth ban cans at the ground. In addition, Endo is set to be warned by his club.

"I regret doing something that I shouldn't," said the 35-year-old midfielder. "But those (fans) who decided to act violently were in the wrong. I was bleeding in the shower."

The Kashima Antlers announced on October 27th that Honda will be banned for one match for his role in the above melee. The four-time J.League champions sent a report on the incident to the League on Wednesday. This means that he will have to sit out an important match against J.league champs Yokohama Marinos.

Coach Toninho Cerezo said of the fans: "It's not their fault." The Brazilian great empathized with the supporters: "They want to see the team win and we are not getting results. It's natural for the fans to be frustrated."

Though rare, there has been crowd-related trouble on and off the pitch in Japan. The most ardent fans are those at Urawa, who have been involved in many incidents.

J1 Results

Saturday 16 October

S Pulse 1 v JEF United 2
Urawa Reds 0 v Marinos 0
Cerezo 1 v Vissel 2
Sanfrecce 2 v Gamba 2
Trinita 2 v Verdy 3
Reysol 2 Grampus Eight 2
FC Tokyo 0 Jubilo 0
Albirex 1 Antlers 0

Leading J. League scorers as of Oct 22.
21 Emerson (Urawa Reds)
17 Masashi Oguro (Gamba)
14 Rodrigo Gral (Jubilo)
13 Ryuji Bando (Vissel)
12 Ahn Jung Hwan (Marinos), Edmilson (Albirex), Marques (Grampus), Marquinhos (JEF)

J2 Results

Friday 15; Saturday 16 October

Kyoto Purple Sanga 2 v Frontale 6

Hollyhock 1 v Ventforet 0
Montedio 1 v Ardija 3
Yokohama FC 3 v Sagan 2
Bellmare 2 v Vegalta 2
Avispa 1 Consadore 0

Runaway leaders Frontale have already clinched promotion to J1 next season and thrashed Kyoto Purple Sanga 2-6 on Friday night with the goals coming from Juninho (2), Terada, Marcus, Nakamura and Ganaha. Ardija are favorites to secure the second automatic promotion slot, though they trail Frontale by 24 points. With J1 set to expand to 18 teams next season, the bottom placed team in J1 will play-off home-and-away against the third place J2 team.