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J.League, Week 7
Midseason Mood-Swings

Kickoff	Home	.	Away
15:00		5-2
15:00		4-2
15:00		1-1
15:30		4-2
15:30		3-2
19:00		1-1
19:00		0-1
19:00		0-4

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4-2

Kashima got the scoring started early, as Bismarck played a classic one-two with Takayuki Suzuki in the 3 minute. The blonde bomber took the pass at the edge of the box and feinted towards goal just enough to draw both defenders, then laid the ball back for Bismarck on the left side. Bismarck had plenty of leisure time to size up his target, and he made it perfect with a soft curling shot into the top right corner that the keeper simply couldnt reach.

The Anlters continued to press throughout the first half, and came close on a couple of occasions. Nagoya was reduced to playing eleven-man defence for most of the time, but they did get one fortunate break in the 24 minute. Right wing back Ko Ishikawa took a ball up the sideline and sent a hopeful cross into the box. Augusto misjudged the ball, and tried to lunge for it instead of simply allowing the keeper Hitoshi Sogahata to clean up the bounder. His lunging kick knocked the ball away from Sogahata and into his own net to level the scores. What is worse, he managed to pull a muscle on the same play and had to be substituted.

But the Antlers maintained the majority of control through the end of the first half.and Atsushi Yanagisawa nearly put his team ahead a minute before the break, with a cannon shot off the crossbar from 20 meters out. As the second half began, it seemed like only a matter of time before the Antlers would crack Nagoya's furious defence to take the lead. But Grampus got yet another break in the 56 minute. Once again, it was ishikawa who set up the play, with a long cross from the right sideline. The ball was beyond the reach of forward Yasuyuki Moriyama but he dove after it anyway, and when it was clear that he would be unable to reach it with his head, he threw out his arm and knocked the ball into the goal.. Referee Leslie Mottram called it a goal, and as his reward he was forced to watch the "goal" replayed a half-dozen times on the big screen at one end of the stadium.

Perhaps the replays had an effect on the next sequence of play. Less than a minute later, the Antlers pushed the ball into the Nagoya end. As Yanagisawa and Mitsuo Ogasawara ran a post play at the top of the box, volante Koji Nakata drifted towards the net. Nakata might well have been in an offside position when Ogasawara dropped him the ball, but after having blown one call so badly just a minute earlier, to the ire of the Antlers faithful, Mottram left his whistle in his pocket this time. Nakata collected the ball six meters from goal with no defender in sight, and all he needed to do was pivot and blast the ball into the low right corner

Having overcome the effects of the Nagoya goal, Kashima swiftly built their momentum back to dangerous levels. Just four minutes after Nakata's goal, Yanagisawa and Suzuki broke two-on-two into the Nagoya end. Yanagisawa looped the ball perfectly for Suzuki to collect at the edge of the box, a step ahead of his defender, but before he could get off a shot, Keiji Kaimoto pulled him down from behind. Mottram awarded both a PK and an immediate red card on Kaimoto. The red may have been a bit harsh, but Kaimoto and Suzuki had been beating the stuffing out of one another all day long, and Suzuki already had earned a yellow, so perhaps the decision was not that surprising.

Bismarck put a way the PK to give Kashima the lead. Then, ten minutes later the Antlers collected their final goal to put the match on ice. Yanagisawa picked up a loose ball after Suzuki headed it clear of the last defender, and began racing for the left post. The Antlers ace then showed why he is such an asset to his team. Though Yanagisawa has been in a scoring slump for about two months, he didnt simply put his head down and go for his own shot. Looking around, he saw that Ogasawara was wide open at a much better shooting angle, directly in front of goal. Yanagisawa dropped a soft roller for Oga to run onto, and the midfielder finished it off with a rocket just inside the left post.

1 - 0

Jubilo got the only goal of the match on a free kick by Fujita, just before half time, which just barely snuck under the bar. Although Cerezo failed to create much on the offensive end in the first half, the addition of rookie midfielder Yoshito Okubo in the second half provided a spark, and Jubilo found itself defending for the majority of time in the second half. Even after Shigeki Kurata picked up a second yellow card midway through the second half, it was Cerezo that created most of the offensive pressure. However, with one less man, Osaka simply didnt have enough pressure to crack the typically reliable Jubilo back line, and in the end, one goal was all the team from Iwata needed.

4 - 2

But when it seemed that S-Pulse was just getting into gear, Gamba suddenly exploded for back-to-back goals in the 23 and 25 minute. First, diminutive striker Kota Yoshihara raced after an errant pass into the box, collecting it just before it reached the end line and then pulling it back to Nino Bule, right in front of the net. Bule pulled the ball away from the retreating defender and then softly tapped it in. Less than two minutes later, Gamba got a corner kick on the right side which Yasuhito Endo sent in to Bule at the top of the box. Bule met the ball with a swinging side kick that sent it directly between the legs of the defender at the right post.

But S-Pulse quickly resumed control of the momentum, and managed to equalise before half time. Baron headed down a long free kick from Katumi Oenoki. Captain Masaaki Sawanobori managed to get a foot to it and loop the ball over the keeper for the second S-Pulse goal.

In the second half, Shimizu took control, and finally in the 73 minute, their efforts resulted in a goal. Baron received up the ball near the right corner flag, and sent a cross into the box. Striker Yoshikiyo Kuboyama dove for it and headed the ball just inside the near post. With time running down and Gamba pushing forward for an equaliser, S-Pulse got a breakaway in the 89 minute that forced Gamba to pull down Kuboyama in the penalty area. Alex closed out the scoring with a PK.

3 - 2

But FC Tokyo responded just a few minutes later with a long-distance blast of its own. Wing back Yukihiko Sato collected a long pass from Amaral, and as he neared the edge of the penalty box he fired a shot that just barely cleared the keeper's fingertips, and bounced in off the underside of the bar.

Ten minutes later, FC Tokyo took the lead, after former Grampus striker Kenji Fukuda fired a long-range shot that was parried by keeper Yohei Nishibe. Unfortunately, Clesly "Kelly" Guimares was cherry picking in front of the net, and he popped in the rebound to give Tokyo a 2-1 edge.

But the Reds came right back and equalised before half time on a nice combination between Brazilian strikers Emerson and Tuto. Tuto carried the ball into the Tokyo back line, and then found Emerson lurking unmarkedat the top right corner of the box. Emerson hit the ball on the volley and sent it screaming into the high left corner.

But the final tally went to FC Tokyo, late in the second half, on a wild scramble in front of the net. The sequence began with a through pass to Kelly, who loked as if he might have been offside. However, play continued and Kelly tracked the ball down just before it rolled over the end line. His centering pass was volleyed once, but blocked by a defender. The subsequent rebound dropped right in front of Amaral, and "The King of Tokyo" slammed it at point-blank range between two Reds defenders.

5 - 2

Consadole had difficulty breaking down the Kobe defence in the first half, only managing to equalise at half time on a PK by ace striker Will Robson Andrade. Midway through the second half, however, the team from Sapporo suddenly exploded for four goals. Youngster Koji Yamase got things started on a beautiful individual effort. Collecting the ball about 35 meters out with his back to the goal, Yamase pivoted and broke past his defender, then fired a bullet from the edge of the penalty area and into the high right corner. Five minutes later, another nice bit of dribbling, this time by Tomohiro Wanami, allowed him to break free of coverage at the left corner. Wanami's centering pass found Will right in front of the goal mouth for an easy header over the Kobe keeper.

Ryuji Bando was the next to get on the scoreboard, though it looked like he might have taken credit for Will's third goal. Bando ran onto a long lob into the box by Will, and as the keeper came out to meet him, it looked like the ball cleared Bando's head entirely, and dropped into the corner of the net. However, Will refused to be robbed of his hat trick, as with ten minutes left he found space in front of the net for a cross from Takumi Morikawa and headed the ball just under the crossbar to give Consadole a 5-1 lead.

With time running down, Vissel got a late consolation goal on a corner kick that was headed in by Naohito Matsuo, but it was far to late to soften a truly crushing defeat.

Elsewhere

Despite getting off to an early lead on a goal from Brito, Yokohama Marinos could only manage a 1-1 draw against JEF United, leaving them still in danger of possible relegation.

Fortunately, the other team that is at risk of joining Cerezo Osaka on the bus to the J2 division -- Tokyo Verdy -- also managed only one point. Verdy also deadlocked 1-1, with Kashiwa Reysol, who continue to struggle under new coach Steve Perryman.

And so, with seven matches in the books, the second stage is turning into a race between the two traditional powerhouses. Kashima Antlers maintain their unbeaten string and their position at the top of the table, trailed by Jubilo Iwata, three points adrift. FC Tokyo, Nagoya Grampus and Sanfrecce Hiroshima are further off the pace.

Rumours and Rumblings

Perugia Yearns for Yanagisawa

However, recent statements by both clubs suggest a more discussion-worthy offer is now on the table, at least for Yanagisawa. The two clubs have said that they will hold meetings in October, with the aim of agreeing to a deal that would commence from January 2, 2002. This would ensure that Yanagisawa is available tor duty at Kashima at least through the league, Nabisco Cup and Emperor's Cup campaigns. Kashima says that Ogasawara is not on offer, but Perugia seems willing to sign just one player for the time being and see about a follow-up deal at a later date.

Keeper Kawaguchi Confirms Contract With Portsmouth