Courtois: Revealed his Confidence to Stay on Loan at Atletico Madrid

Thibaut Courtois has revealed that he is confident that Chelsea will allow him to stay on loan at Atletico Madrid a second season.

The highly-rated Belgian goalkeeper has confirmed that he still likely to remain at the Vicente calderon one more year, and rejects the report which links him with Real Madrid.

The Belgian goalkeeper signed for Chelsea last summer but was immediately sent out on loan to Atletico to get more games under his belt.

Watch game play live at 12bet.com.

By sportsbookfanatic with No comments

Bayern Munich Beats Real Madrid in a Penalty Shoot

From first league, Real trailed by a goal then Cristiano Ronaldo strikes -- the first, a penalty and next is a neat low

finish which put them in control.With a spot kick done by Arjen Robben, he leveled the tie for Bayern. No further

goals meant a shoot-out, which Bastian Schweinsteiger settled to send his team to the final goal.While Mario

Gomez and David Alaba scored for Bayern, the goalkeeper Manuel Neuer played a major part saving real's first two

penalties, from Kaka and Ronaldo.This was the second time in major Champions League shoot-outs ronaldo had

missed from the spot. If you remember he also failed for Manchester United in the 2008 final against Chelsea.So let's

follow the game of Real Madrid and see if they will beats Sevilla FC.

By sportsbookfanatic with No comments

Kawasaki Frontale announce appointment of new manager Yahiro Kazama

The former Sanfrecce and national team player begins his first professional managerial stint two weeks after the firing of former boss Naoki Soma for poor results

 

J-League's Kawasaki Frontale on Monday unveiled new manager Yahiro Kazama, two weeks after parting ways with Naoki Soma.


The 51-year-old will coach his first professional club after running the football programme at Tsukuba University, where he also played. Kazama's career as a player began in Germany at Bayer Leverkusen and continued at BVL Remscheid and Eintracht Braunschweig. He then returned to Japan, joining Mazda SC and staying with the club after it became Sanfrecce Hiroshima in 1992.


Earning 19 caps for Japan's national team, Kazama was also the first Japanese footballer to score in the J-League's inaugural 1993 season. In recent years he has also worked as a commentator for Fuji Television, a role which he will continue through May. After taking part in his first practice session on Wednesday, Kazama is expected to make his professional managerial debut against Sanfrecce Hiroshima on Saturday.


Frontale announced the departure of Soma on April 11 due to poor results, just five matches into his second year as coach after achieving an 11th-place finish last season. The team have won three, lost three and drawn once heading into the eighth round of play and currently sit in 10th place.

 

By sportsbookfanatic with No comments

Japanese in Europe: Kagawa's goal assures Dortmund of second straight title, while Usami starts & Honda returns

Japanese players across Europe made their presence known with several memorable appearances, not the least of which was the Dortmund man's 13th goal of the season

 

Makoto Hasebe (Wolfsburg): Started in the 0-0 draw away to Mainz. Substituted in the 46th minute.
Gotoku Sakai (Stuttgart): Played a full 90 minutes in his club's 1-1 draw at Koln. The youngster added another mostly solid game for the Swabians except for a moment shortly before half-time when his bad clearance led to a chance for the Geissbocke.
Shinji Okazaki (Stuttgart): Entered from the bench in the 69th minute in his team's 1-1 draw at Köln. The former S-Pulse forward was fielded as a left midfielder‚ before he switched to Sakai's side on the right flank.
Yuki Otsu (Borussia Monchengladbach): Watched his club's 2-0 loss away to Borussia Dortmund from the bench.

 

Hajime Hosogai (Augsburg): Played a full 90 minutes in his team's 1-1 draw against Schalke. The former Urawa Reds man had a good game as the link between his side's backline and attacking department, creating also a huge chance in the 41st minute. The 25-year-old will miss the away match against Monchengladbach due to being shown his fifth yellow.
Atsuto Uchida (Schalke): Made a full appearance in the 1-1 draw away to Augsburg. While the right-back didn't make too many attacking runs‚ he had a solid game in defence‚ preventing Augsburg from snatching the winner in the second half.
Takashi Inui (Bochum): Played a full 90 minutes for 1-1 draw away to Cottbus.

 

By sportsbookfanatic with No comments

G Osaka Vs Shimizu S-Puls football liga match preview

JAPAN J-LEAGUE DIVISION 1: 12BET odds G Osaka Vs Shimizu S-Puls 4/22 6PM GMT+8

Gamba Osaka (P6 W1 D1 L4 GD -5) finally got on the winning track last week, despite being 2-0 down before half time against Kawasaki Frontale. 3 goals, and three points will do a world of good for the confidence of this team who are in transition. Good performances are now coming from new imports or still-young players such as Kurata, Terada, Abe, Sato, Fujiharu, Konno and more look good for the future of the club, while stalwarts Endo, Futagawa, Kaji and Myojin soldier on and help the new team take shape. It is a season of transition for this team so the fans have to be patient but there is no reason why Gamba can not build on the win last week and start moving up the table now.

Shimizu S-Pulse (P6 W4 D0 L2 GD +2) also have a mix of young and old and are also in transition under the astute leadership of coach Afshin Ghotbi. The likes of Ono and Takahara are guiding the less-experienced players - Omae, Iwashita, Takagi and more - along with the foreign influence of the ever-improving Calvin Jong-a-Pin and Alex Brosque and the team is grinding out results, often getting less than they deserve from games.

By sportsbookfanatic with No comments

Sapporo Vs Kawasaki Frontale football liga match preview

JAPAN J-LEAGUE DIVISION 1: 12BET odds Sapporo Vs Kawasaki Frontale 4/21 1PM GMT+8

Consadole Sapporo (W0 D1 L5 GD -7) go into this 7th game of the J.League campaign with just a single point to their name - from their opening draw with Jubilo Iwata. Sapporo lost 3-1 at Nagoya last week and never looked like getting point while Frontale let a 2-0 lead slip at Gamba Osaka and capitulated 3-2. Sapporo must already be favourites to go down but Frontale do not seem to much better, even though they have some talented players in the ranks.

Kawasaki Frontale (P6 W2 D1 L3 GD -1) meanwhile, sit in 11th place with 7 points but, six of those points came from two fortunate 1-0 wins and their form has been very average. Emphasising that point is the fact that they have already parted with their coach, Naoki Soma. A change of coach didn't help last weekend when Frontale went down to Gamba Osaka's first win of the season, by 3-2, after being up 2-0.

By sportsbookfanatic with No comments

AFC Champions League Match Day 4 Results

Brisbane Roar 1-2 Ulsan Hyundai

Australian champions Brisbane Roar's hopes of progressing to the next stage were dealt a severe blow after a controversial second-half penalty helped Korean outfit Ulsan claim a 2-1 win.


Ulsan went ahead on 11 minutes when Colombian Juan Estiven Velez (pictured) dispossessed Mitch Nichols before rifling home a fine left-foot shot. However, Brisbane were level on 25 minutes when Shane Stefanutto's effort was deflected in off Kwak Tae-Hwi.


Both sides came close in the second-half, with Lee Keun-Ho and Luke Brattan both hitting the woodwork before a dubious penalty was awarded to the visitors after Sayed Mohamed Adnan's tackle. Kwak made up for his earlier error, to convert the 73rd-minute spotkick.

By sportsbookfanatic with No comments

Kagawa & Uchida unimpressive in Ruhr derby, while Takagi spurs Utrecht comeback

While the showdown between Dortmund and Schalke gained most fans' attention, several other Japanese players in Europe also put in memorable performances for their clubs

In Germany‚ Shinji Kagawa's Borussia Dortmund looks like retaining the title after a 2-1 win in the derby over the fierce rivals Schalke on Saturday‚ following a 1-0 over Bayern Munich during the week. With only three matches to be played‚ Jurgen Klopp's men now have a virtually uncatchable eight-point advantage over second-placed Bayern.
Kagawa didn't have the impact of his first Revierderby in September 2010 when his brace earned him hero status with the fans‚ but kept the opponents' defence busy‚ covering the most kilometres out of all players. The 23-year-old was unlucky to have deflected Jefferson Farfan's shot for Schalke's opener in the ninth minute‚ but was fortunate when his header found the way to Lukasz Piszczek who leveled the score in the 17th minute.
The Knappen started with Atsuto Uchida at the right-back position who worked well defensively‚ giving Kevin Grosskreutz not too much space. The 24-year-old recorded the most ball touches in his team and had a few nice runs on the right flank‚ but looked tired before he was subbed off with five minutes to go.
In an Eredivisie showdown against fellow Japanese players Maya Yoshida and Robert Cullen at VVV Venlo‚ Yoshiaki Takagi's Utrecht came out on top with a spectacular come-from-behind 4-2 victory.
Takagi himself was involved in all four goals; his free kick led to Utrecht's first‚ followed by a corner kick that brought the hosts even at 2-2.
The 19-year-old then proceeded to set up the game-winning goal with a clever through-pass to Frank Demouge just before the hour mark‚ before assisting Utrecht's fourth goal in the 83rd minute. Takagi has been slow in establishing himself at the club since transferring from Tokyo Verdy‚ but will easily keep a starting role if he can continue with similar performances.

By sportsbookfanatic with No comments

Leandro's brace not enough for Kashiwa in loss to Sendai

J. League leaders Vegalta Sendai preserved their unbeaten start to the season and took the defending champions' scalp in the process with a 3-2 win over Kashiwa Reysol on Saturday.

Vegalta twice took the lead only to be pegged back at Hitachi Stadium, with goals from Naoki Sugai and Kunimitsu Sekiguchi canceled out both times by reigning league MVP Leandro Domingues.

But there was no way back when Shingo Akamine struck the winner in the 78th minute, and a late red card for Leandro compounded the misery for a Kashiwa side that has now lost half of its opening six matches.

"I told my players to get ready for a tough game against the champions," said Sendai manager Makoto Teguramori. "It was important to be psychologically strong until the end, and even if we weren't able to play well we had to make sure we got the win.

"In sports it's not always just about skill and technique. It's also about desire and the will to win."

Vegalta managed only 39 goals last season despite finishing fourth in the table, but 14 in six games already this term is a markedly different return.

By sportsbookfanatic with No comments

J-League considers lifting transfer restrictions for 'under-aged' players

 The new rule would allow teams to loan younger players throughout the year, allowing them opportunities to play instead of limiting them to the bench or practice squads

The J-League and Japan Football Association (JFA) this week announced the formation of a committee to discuss changes to the league's transfer system that would allow clubs to loan their young players at any time during the season. The lack of opportunities for younger players has increasingly weighed on J-League clubs since the closing of the Satellite League in 2010. Additionally, many clubs are reluctant to loan such players to other clubs in the event that they're needed to back up injured team-mates.

One notable case is that of Nagoya Grampus striker Kensuke Nagai, who despite high expectations failed to find his way into the starting lineups at both his club and the Japan national team. In the new system, Division 1 teams would be allowed to loan players 23 years of age or younger to Division 2 teams at any time during the season, rather than being limited to the traditional winter and summer transfer windows. Successful implementation would give younger players more opportunities on the pitch, raising their abilities as well as helping to bolster Japan's youth strength ahead of the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics.

The committee is aiming to form a flexible system in which loaned players would be able to return to their club at any time if needed, but is looking for a compromise so as to not burden J2 clubs with constantly-shifting rosters. The new rules are expected to be discussed between the J-League, member clubs, and the JFA for the rest of the year, before potential implementation in the 2013 season.

In addition to the new transfer system, JFA technical director Hiromi Hara announced the association's decision to use its over-aged player slots for the upcoming London Olympics, as well as the possibility that Europe-based players such as Shinji Kagawa and Ryo Miyaichi could receive call-ups.

By sportsbookfanatic with No comments

Nagatomo looks to recapture place in starting line-up after game-winning assist on Wednesday

The Inter defender watched the first two matches of Andrea Stramaccioni's reign from the bench, but earned a penalty kick as a substitute in Wednesday's win over Siena

After a disappointing winter in which his team replaced their manager after falling out of title contention, Inter defender Yuto Nagatomo may yet regain a spot in the starting line-up following a spirited performance off the bench in his team's come-from-behind win over Siena on Wednesday night.

The 25-year-old entered the match in the 38th minute following an injury to defender Walter Samuel, with instructions from manager Andrea Stramaccioni to attack.


Down by one goal, the Nerazzurri pulled even before the half on Diego Milito's strike. The game continued deadlocked at one goal apiece until the 81st minute, when Nagatomo was pulled down by a defender while attempting to capture the ball on the far side of the goal. The referee immediately awarded a penalty kick, which Milito converted to give the hosts the 2-1 victory.

"I was able to get my body in there first," Nagatomo told reporters after the match. "I absolutely wanted to get the ball, and it's good that I was able to turn that into a result."

The appearance was the Japan international's first since Inter's 2-0 loss at Juventus, in which he received a caution in the first half. That match was the last for Claudio Ranieri, who was replaced by Stramaccioni in the following week.

"Even though it only feels like it's been a moment [since losing my starting role], I can't relax," Nagatomo said of the battle to regain his regular position. "In these conditions, I've reaffirmed that I absolutely have to work harder."

By sportsbookfanatic with No comments

Frontale fire manager Soma

Naoki Soma became the latest top-flight managerial casualty of the young J. League season Wednesday as Kawasaki Frontale announced the dismissal of the former Japan defender just five games into the league campaign.

Assistant coach Tatsuya Mochizuki will take over as caretaker manager until a permanent replacement is found for 40-year-old Soma, who has failed to live up to expectations at Todoroki Stadium since taking his first manager's job last year.

Soma in 2011 could only manage 11th place in the table at a team normally accustomed to challenging for the title. Frontale are currently 11th after two wins against as many losses and a draw.

"It is a shame I leave the team without having been able to fulfill my ambition," Soma said in a club statement.

Jose Carlos Serrao was fired on March 26 after Gamba Osaka lost their first five league and cup matches.

By sportsbookfanatic with No comments

Long road to recovery awaits Tadanari Lee after surgery

The Southampton attacker's shock injury will keep him out for the rest of the season as well as Japan's World Cup qualifiers in June, but he his not ready to give up the fight



Just three months after his highly-anticipated arrival in England, Japan's Tadanari Lee will find himself on the sidelines until at least August as he rehabilitates his surgically-repaired right foot.At first considered it to be a light injury that occurred after a team-mate trod on the foot in training however later doctors discovered hairline fractures as well as ligament damage in the second toe after a third series of x-rays.

Until that point, Lee was considered a possibility to return on any given match day; instead the 26-year-old had wires inserted into his right foot to stabilise the affected area on March 30, and faces a minimum four months of recovery before he can step on the pitch again.Rather than helping Southampton return to the Premier League for the first time since their 2005 relegation, Lee must instead hope that his team-mates can keep the squad on top of the table with five matches remaining."To be honest, even now I've had trouble accepting the situation and sorting out how I feel," the player wrote in his official blog on April 3 before adding a message to his supporters."If there's anyone reading this blog who's hurt themselves or gotten sick, and you're worried and depressed and can't think of what to do… we may not be able to meet in person, but I hope we can overcome this together."Lee's absence will not only be felt at St. Mary's. The recovery time also rules him out of June's World Cup qualifiers, when Japan hosts Oman and Jordan before traveling to Australia. With Keisuke Honda struggling to regain his fitness and players such as Shinji Kagawa and Mike Havenaar failing to perform well on the international level, Alberto Zaccheroni will have even less breathing room than before as he considers his call-ups.But the striker, who is already on crutches, remains positive as he prepares to fly back to Japan in order to continue his recovery."After watching [video of] myself rehabbing for the first time, my first impression was that I had no energy," Lee wrote in his blog on April 5. "Starting tomorrow I want to rehab with a smile!"

By sportsbookfanatic with No comments

Japanese in Europe: Kagawa & Uchida play well in otherwise quiet weekend

With Eredivisie off for the weekend and many players in other countries resigned to watching from the bench, few Japanese were given a chance to shine in European play



In a rather quiet Easter weekend for the Japanese contingent across Europe‚ Borussia Dortmund's Shinji Kagawa's play wasn't spectacular but he still contributed to the away 3-1 win against Wolfsburg as it was his defence-splitting pass which was instrumental for his side's opener in the 22nd minute.

The 23-year-old saw a sitter go just wide in the 73rd minute and was substituted with 10 minutes to go. The champions go into the midweek clash against Bayern still keeping their three points advantage.After a poor game the week before and watching the end of his team's Europa League campaign from the bench in the midweek encounter with Spain's Athletic Bilbao‚ Schalke'sAtsuto Uchida found himself in the starting formation in the convincing 3-0 home win against Hannover on Sunday.The right-back put on a lively game‚ defending solidly and running forward on numerous occasions‚ even drawing fouls in dangerous positions. All three goals by the Knappen were created on the right side‚ and Uchida played a crucial role in the making of the third. Schalke boss Huub Stevens replaced him with fit-again German international Benedikt Howedes in the 83rd minute‚ but the Japanese earned the plaudits and leaves the Dutch manager with a difficult decision in regards to the starting formation for the match away to Nurnberg on Wednesday.

By sportsbookfanatic with No comments

Borussia Dortmund's Shinji Kagawa looks forward to crucial Wednesday fixture against surging Bayern Munich

The Japanese star will have a big role to play this week as Bundesliga leaders Dortmund face their two closest title contenders in a grueling four-day span

After a mixed effort in Borussia Dortmund's 3-1 win at Wolfsburg on Saturday, Shinji Kagawa was already looking ahead to two crucial fixtures in the upcoming week that could make or break his team's hopes of earning a second straight title. Dortmund host second-placed Bayern Munich on Wednesday night in a highly-awaited match-up, before travelling to third-placed rivals Schalke for a Saturday afternoon fixture with as much significance to the table.


"If we can beat Bayern and Schalke it would be huge for us," Kagawa said after the match. "The next match (against Bayern) will have a huge influence on the championship race so I want us to enjoy that pressure. "A good result would be fantastic. I'm looking forward to it."

The Samurai Blue midfielder also admitted seeing shades of last week's 4-4 shoot-out against Stuttgart after Mario Mandzukic pulled Wolfsburg to within one goal on Saturday.

"Last week our 2-0 lead turned into a draw," Kagawa reflected. "We were somewhat concerned. "Wolfsburg focused on the long ball so something could have happened at any time, and they had the advantage of playing at home. It's good for us that we didn't give up another goal."

The 23-year-old was ready to critique his own performance as well, after failing to extend his league scoring streak to four.

"I didn't quite have good timing with my team-mates," Kagawa said. "[Wolfsburg's] back line was defending high and compact, so our usual sense of distance got compressed and it became somewhat difficult to manage. "But if I could have gotten the ball in better circumstances I think I could have done better."

By sportsbookfanatic with No comments

Coyle looking to protect Miyaichi from fatigue at Bolton

The Japanese midfielder has made a big impression since making his loan move from Arsenal but the Trotters manager is keen to ensure that his long-term prospects are not damaged

Bolton manager Owen Coyle has expressed his determination to protect on-loan Arsenal youngster Ryo Miyaichi from injuries. The 19-year-old Japanese has impressed since his move to Reebok Stadium in January, scoring one goal and grabbing two assists in eight appearances, but the Trotters manager believes that he saw signs of fatigue at the end of last Saturday's 3-2 win over fellow relegation-battlers Wolves.


"For Ryo's part, there has been an awful lot asked of the kid, with the amount of games he's had," Coyle told reporters. "I thought he was feeling it a little bit in his legs at the end of the [Wolves] game. We will need to get him rested up as best as we can to make sure he's ready to play a part this weekend."

The Scot also insisted that he will look to protect all of his young players in order to give them a chance to continue their growth as footballers. He added: "I look at Ryo and young Mark Davies, and when they come bursting into the game, as a football lover that's exactly what I want to see. I'd pay money to go and see that type of player.

"They glide by tackles and get themselves into the box, try to get a shot away, draw challenges. It's exciting to see. "What is important is that my younger players are getting better."

By sportsbookfanatic with No comments

Ryo Miyaichi will be a regular at Arsenal next season, says

Theo Walcott Theo Walcott says full-backs around the Premier League won't want to play against the Japanese teenager next season when he returns to the Gunners



Arsenal's Japanese winger Ryo Miyaichi will be a regular for the Gunners next season, striking fear into full-backs around the Premier League according to Theo Walcott.Miyaichi, 19, is currently on loan at Bolton where he's enjoyed a successful spell and Walcott believes that's a sign of his development which should see him become a Gunners regular next season.

“Ryo has done very well at Bolton,” Walcott said on the Arsenal website.Walcott added: “The way he is playing, there are full backs out there now who are thinking, ‘I don’t want to play against him this week’.”Miyaichi, who made two cameos off the bench for Arsenal before joining Bolton in January, has since made eight appearances for the Trotters, providing two assists and scoring one goal.Walcott continued that he had been impressed by the way Miyaichi handled the recent episode which saw his Bolton team-mate Fabrice Muamba collapse on the field after suffering a cardiac arrest.“It is hard for such a young kid to go there and do what he is doing, showing no fear with everything that happened at Tottenham [with Fabrice Muamba]. It is hard and it has probably hit him definitely," he said.“He will be a better person for it, a better player and I can see him coming back here next year and playing a lot more regularly."

By sportsbookfanatic with No comments

New Gamba Osaka boss Masanobu Matsunami wants goals in AFC Champions League

The newly-appointed coach says they can still progress in the continental competition despite their poor start, pointing to a focus on scoring goals







Newly-appointed Gamba Osaka coach Masanobu Matsunami is demanding goals from his side against Bunyodkor on Tuesday after their poor start to the 2012 AFC Champions League.Gamba, the 2008 Asian champions, started the continental competition with 3-0 and 2-0 defeats to Pohang Steelers and Adelaide United respectively, to be sitting bottom of their group. The poor results, combined with ordinary J-League form, led to coach Jose Carlos Serrao's dismissal and Matsunami's appointment and the new boss believes they can still claw their way back in the group with scoring goals his main focus.



"Since I arrived, I have been telling the players to concentrate more on scoring. Whoever we play, we should play our style to break down our opponents," Matsunami told reporters."We want to score more goals to improve our goal difference, but our priority is to win three points."We had better possession at the weekend (in the 1-1 draw with Albirex Niigata, their first result of the season) and passed the ball well. If we can work more on the attacking element then we can improve our chances."



He added: "We haven't started well in the AFC Champions League this year, but we are at home this time and we will do our best to collect three points."Meanwhile, Bunyodkor boss Mirjalol Qosimov admitted he didn't know what to expect from Gamba despite their poor start to the competition."Gamba have lost the first two games in the AFC Champions League, but you never know what they will be like until you play them as they have a new manager," Qosimov said.

By sportsbookfanatic with No comments

Japanese in Europe: Kagawa and Sakai excel in thrilling 4-4 draw

The weekend highlight for Japanese players in Europe was clearly Dortmund's goal-filled affair with Stuttgart, which featured two of the country's most-anticipated young players



In Germany‚ Bundesliga matchday started in Dortmund with the reigning champions hosting Stuttgart for the Friday night game. In what turned out to become one of the most memorable matches of the season‚ Shinji Kagawa had his first say in the second minute when he shot wide from outside the box.

After being denied an effort in the fifth minute‚ it was the 23-year-old's third attempt which finally found the net after the half hour when he smashed home a nice ball headed to him by skipper Sebastian Kehl. The goal not only marked the attacker's fourth strike in three matches but also his 12th league goal this season - a feat accomplished for the first time by a Japanese player in Europe.

Dortmund went on to double their lead after the break but the visitors staged an amazing comeback hitting three goals before Kagawa was subbed off in the 81st minute. The Swabians, for whom Gotoku Sakai started, fell behind again before grabbing the equaliser deep into injury time‚ ending the game a spectacular 4-4 draw.

The Japanese-German youngster, who played another full match as Stuttgart's right full-back, once again proved his worth as he emerged the player with the most ball touches of either team‚ showed some spirited moves forward‚ and last but not least‚ contributed with his long feed‚ eventually leading to his side's third in the 79th minute.

In Italy‚ Takayuki Morimoto scored his fourth goal of the season in Novara's 5-2 loss to Roma. After coming off the bench at the hour mark‚ he found himself unmarked on the left side of the goal just two minutes later. After taking Andrea Caracciolo's through pass‚ Morimoto calmly handled the one-on-one with the goalkeeper and settled the goal with his right foot. It was the 23-year-old's first goal since January 15.

By sportsbookfanatic with No comments

J-League Review: Vegalta take league lead with sweeping win over Cerezo

Roaring winds and driving rain across eastern Japan lead to several surprising results, reminding observers that as always there's no such thing as a sure leader in the J-League

The nearly 10,000 fans that braved the rain at Osaka's Nagai Stadium were in for a treat, with Cerezo hosting high-flying Vegalta Sendai. Both teams had surrendered just one goal going into this weekend, but the home team found themselves at a disadvantage after having to give two defenders, Tatsuya Yamashita and Masato Kurogi, their first start of the season.


Cerezo's first solid chance came in the 16th minute when Hiroshi Kiyotake's volley deflected off a defender before hitting the crossbar. Vegalta responded minutes later as Yoshiaki Ota forced a fine save by Kim Jin-Hyon. The visitors finally broke the deadlock in the 34th minute on the counter when Brazilian attacker Wilson stuffed in a rebound for his first J1 goal. Cerezo attempted to spur on a second-half comeback by bringing on super-sub Ryuji Bando and switching to two upfront. But Vegalta doubled their lead after Ota again broke down the opposition, sending a cross past Kim to a waiting Shingo Akamine who headed the ball in.

The hosts pressed the attack and Bando even took back a late goal to make it 2-1, but despite five minutes of extra time Vegalta's defence did not falter and the northern club would end the day alone at the top of the league table.

By sportsbookfanatic with No comments