Kuma Power Posted October 29, 2023 Author Share Posted October 29, 2023 Been reading some of the discussions and debates about the J.League shifting to a winter season. Understandably a lot of the smaller clubs in the northern part of Japan have concerns about what this is going to mean for attendances, as it's absolutely freezing in those parts in winter with metres of snow around the grounds! As far as I'm aware, there's going to be a break in the dead of winter for a few weeks to miss the worst of the extreme cold and snow - but on the other hand, it's so hot in summer in Japan that players in the southern teams will wilt if they keep playing in summer. It's a really difficult one to resolve given the number of different climates that exist within Japan! 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kuma Power Posted October 29, 2023 Author Share Posted October 29, 2023 On 22/10/2023 at 10:52, Brummie Clyde said: 4th win in a row for Omiya Ardija. We were losing 2-0 and got an 89th minute equaliser and 96th minute winner! Still 4 points from safety. Still a chance for Omiya... I don't see Iwaki picking up another point between now and the end of the season, and the 1-7 thumping to Shimizu S-Pulse has wiped out any goal difference advantage we might have had. Mind you, Omiya have a *very* tough run-in, with both Shimizu S-Pulse and Tokyo Verdy, who are going to be going full-tilt to secure the remaining promotion spots. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kuma Power Posted November 4, 2023 Author Share Posted November 4, 2023 Commiserations @Brummie Clyde - honestly think if the league had been 2 games longer Omiya would have caught Iwaki. Tough shift to have to take on a very in-form Shimizu S-Pulse in a must-win game. Elsewhere, nice to see Avispa Fukuoka pick up their first ever trophy, beating Urawa Reds to win the Levain Cup (Japan's equivalent of the league cup). Yosuke Ideguchi, he who is still contracted to Celtic, played the full match. Bit of a shame to see that Hisashi Jogo, who's been with Avispa for his entire 19-year career, didn't make the bench, but at least got brought up to lift the cup. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kuma Power Posted November 26, 2023 Author Share Posted November 26, 2023 It's getting to the end of the J.League season. Vissel Kobe won their maiden title at the weekend after spending many Yen over the years doing so, whilst Yokohama FC are headed down to J2 after losing the relegation battle. Two giants in the J2 playoff final next to decide the final promotion spot for J1: Tokyo Verdy vs Shimizu S Pulse. Also going to the wire in J3 for the second promotion spot to J2 behind Ehime FC. Kagoshima Utd are two points ahead of Kataller Toyama going into the final round of J3 fixtures next weekend, although you can never count on either of these teams to get a result. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GNU_Linux Posted November 26, 2023 Share Posted November 26, 2023 No promotion from the JFL as neither champions Honda FC or runners Briobecca Urayasu hold a J3 license. Honda FC being a company team are ineligible to hold a J3 license & have a habit of being gatekeepers having won the JFL ten times. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kuma Power Posted December 2, 2023 Author Share Posted December 2, 2023 Late drama in the J2 promotion playoff today. Tokyo Verdy clinched promotion back to J1 with a 96th-minute penalty against Shimizu S-Pulse. Because of the way the promotion play-offs work, the higher-placed team gets home team advantage and only needs to draw over a one-leg playoff, whereas the away team needs to win (at least that's how I think it works - those who know, please do correct if I'm wrong!) Absolute boot in the baws for Shimizu, but will be good to see Verdy back in the top flight after a long absence. Meanwhile in J3, a late penalty for Kataller Toyama vs YSCC Yokohama wasn't enough to stop Kagoshima United clinching the second promotion spot to J2 on goal difference. What is it with me and late penalties today ? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kuma Power Posted December 16, 2023 Author Share Posted December 16, 2023 Alex Schalk - formerly of Ross County - scored the winning goal in the FIFA Club World Cup quarter-final yesterday for Urawa Red Diamonds. He and his Urawa teammates will now face Manchester City in the semi-final. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brummie Clyde Posted December 18, 2023 Share Posted December 18, 2023 Man City will love playing a team that play in Man Utd kits. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kuma Power Posted December 21, 2023 Author Share Posted December 21, 2023 It was even worse when Urawa had the Vodafone sponsorship deal in the mid-2006s. Very difficult to tell Urawa Reds shirts from that era from Man Utd shirts at first glance! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kuma Power Posted January 10 Author Share Posted January 10 Yosuke Ideguchi has now permanently left Celtic and signed for Vissel Kobe. He's just had a great season with Avispa Fukuoka on loan from Celtic, helping Avispa win their first major trophy and being shortlisted for J.League player of the year, so now the champions have swooped for him. Shame it never worked out in Scotland, as there's clearly a very good player there. Read in a few places too that Yuki Kobayashi is likely to leave Celtic and sign for Yokohama F. Marinos. https://x.com/visselkobe/status/1744660727552688486?s=20 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kuma Power Posted February 6 Author Share Posted February 6 Seems there will be live J.League games on Youtube at weekends this season too. The league also released their promo video for the 2024 season which is a good watch. Fixture list is looking good for when I'm out there later this month, hoping to get to an Iwaki FC game! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kuma Power Posted March 9 Author Share Posted March 9 Yuya Osako with one of the worst penalties I've ever seen today for Vissel Kobe against FC Tokyo. He did at least redeem himself by scoring the winning free kick for Kobe though! 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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