Japan Soccer
J-League News: Kashiwa shock Jubilo to take lead in the J-League
The 2007 J-League season kicked off at the weekend, and there were some surprise results.
FC Tokyo were beaten 4-2 at home by Sanfrecce Hiroshima, for whom strikers Hisato Sato and Ueslei each scored a double. Lucas Severino scored a brace of his own, but Tokyo's porous defence was breached at will, to the displeasure of the majority of the 25,257 fans in attendance at Ajinomoto Stadium.
57,188 fans turned up at Saitama Stadium, to witness Urawa Reds grind out a fortunate 2-1 win over Yokohama FC, who were making their debut in the top flight. An own goal and a late Yuichiro Nagai strike ended Yokohama FC's hopes of taking something from this match, although they had a spectacular Tatsuhiko Kubo equaliser to show for their efforts.
Kawasaki Frontale beat Kashima Antlers 1-0 in the battle of the big guns at Todoroki Stadium, with Brazilian midfielder Magnum scoring the only goal of the game after twenty-one minutes.
Gamba Osaka kicked off their campaign with a 1-0 win, but they left it late, with substitute Bare scoring the winner with just two minutes remaining against a plucky Omiya Ardija.
Elsewhere on Saturday, Oita Trinita and Albirex Niigata drew 1-1, Shimizu S-Pulse beat Vissel Kobe 1-0 and Yokohama F. Marinos beat Ventforet Kofu by the same scoreline.
The shock result of the weekend came on Sunday, when Kashiwa Reysol beat Jubilo Iwata 4-0, in a bruising encounter at Kashiwa Hitachi Stadium. Double strikes from Brazilian Franca and winger Minoru Suganuma saw off a shell-shocked Jubilo outfit, of whom much is expected this season.
In the day's other result, Nagoya Grampus Eight beat JEF United 2-0 in front of 18,410 fans at Mizuho Stadium. South Korean Kim Jung Woo opened the scoring after seventy-six minutes, before highly-rated youngster Keisuke Honda wrapped up proceedings a minute from time.
Copyright © Michael Tuckerman & Soccerphile.com
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