Urawa Red Diamonds drew 1-1 with Shimizu S-Pulse on Sunday in a game played in an empty stadium as punishment for a racist "Japanese only" banner put up by hardline fans that deeply embarrassed the J-League.... more »
Japan's J-League is one of the safest and most welcoming football leagues but a furore over a "Japanese only" banner directed at foreign fans has caused deep embarrassment and highlighted questionable attitudes to race.... more »
Tsukasa Shiotani scored from a 95th-minute free-kick to give two-time defending J-League champions Sanfrecce Hiroshima a 2-1 win over Kawasaki Frontale on Saturday.... more »
Uruguay striker Diego Forlan fell flat on his J-League debut as Cerezo Osaka lost 1-0 to defending champions Sanfrecce Hiroshima in Saturday's season opener.... more »
Yokohama Marinos put one hand on the J-League title with a 1-0 win over Jubilo Iwata on Saturday to move four points clear at the top of the table with two games remaining.... more »
Yokohama Marinos saw their lead at the top of the J-League shaved to one point with three games remaining after a 2-1 defeat at the hands of Nagoya Grampus Sunday.... more »
Werder Bremen announcer Christian Stoll has apologised after describing a goal by Japan's Hiroki Sakai as "a bit of Fukushima" in their Bundesliga clash with Hanover 96.... more »
Kashiwa Reysol beat Urawa Red Diamonds 1-0 in Saturday's J-League Cup final to win the trophy for the second time and ease the pain of crashing out in the semifinals of the Asian Champions League last month.... more »
Shunsuke Nakamura scored a trademark free-kick to keep Yokohama Marinos on course for their first J-League title in nine years with a 1-0 win over Oita Trinita on Sunday.... more »
Yokohama Marinos took charge of the J-League title race on Saturday with a 1-0 win over previous leaders Sanfrecce Hiroshima to move two points clear with five games remaining.... more »
Marcello Lippi's Guangzhou Evergrande face the only unbeaten team left in the tournament when they take on Japan's Kashiwa Reysol in the AFC Champions League semi-final first leg Wednesday.... more »
Yokohama Marinos lost 1-0 to Omiya Ardija but retained leadership of the J-League on Saturday as nearest challengers Sanfrecce Hiroshima crashed to a 2-1 defeat at home to FC Tokyo.... more »
Japan coach Alberto Zaccheroni on Thursday called up four strikers from a second-string team that won the East Asian Cup last month to boost the Blue Samurai's firepower when they host Guatemala and Ghana.... more »
Sanfrecce Hiroshima returned to the top of the J-League table on goal difference after a 1-1 draw with bottom side Oita Trinita on Saturday, as previous leaders Yokohama Marinos lost 2-1 to Kashima Antlers.... more »
Yokohama Marinos claimed top spot in the J-League with a 2-0 win over FC Tokyo on Saturday as previous leaders Sanfrecce Hiroshima were held to a 1-1 draw with Nagoya Grampus.... more »
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