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A much improved Kyoto Purple Sanga lost a tight match at home to perennial power Kashima Antlers. Sanga is still struggling in the top division of Japanese soccer.
Under first-year coach Paulo Autuori--the 100 million man who was hired away from Sao Paulo--Kashima is nipping at the heels of the top teams in the League, just points back. If this match was anything to judge by, however, the Antlers will not win the Championship this year.
Kyoto was without its top scorer, Paulinho, who was sitting out the match because of yellow cards. As a result, Kyoto rarely threatened up front and fell 2-1. The pace of the match though was very even, and in defense Sanga has tightened up considerably. Kashima never dominated, and up front it too was never a threat.
Above is Kyoto's keeper, Naohito Hirai.
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