There are three teams left in the J. League title race after Shimizu S-Pulse and FC Tokyo both dropped out of the running following the latest round of fixtures.
A Renatinho hat-trick propelled Kawasaki Frontale to a 3-2 win over relegated JEF United in a thriller watched by 18,470 fans at Todoroki Stadium. Click to continue reading...

One last photo from this week's Japanese League Cup final, as FC Tokyo fans utilise some toilet paper.

Photo credit: dokool on Flickr, via the Pitch Invasion Photo Pool.

Related posts:

1. Photo Daily: Nabisco Cup Final Kawasaki Frontale vs.

Click to continue reading...

Nabisco Cup final, Kawasaki Frontale vs. FC Tokyo, November 3rd 2009.

Photo credit: dillo-h.com on Flickr, via the Pitch Invasion Photo Pool.

Related posts:

1. Photo Daily: Kawasaki Frontale Tifo Big flags and little flags in the Asian Champions League.

Click to continue reading...

Today, our tifo series swings to Asia for the first time.

We check out Japanese fans at the Nabisco Cup (also known as the J-League Cup) final between Kawasaki Frontale and FC Tokyo, held earlier this week.

This video is a little slow to get going, but there's some gorgeous colour, some impressive banners, and generally well choreographed displays from supporters of both teams.

Click to continue reading...

FC Tokyo have been crowned 2009 Yamazaki Nabisco League Cup champions after beating Kawasaki Frontale 2-0 in the final in Tokyo on November 3.
Before a sell-out crowd of 44,308 fans at a packed National Stadium, teenage midfielder Takeuji Yonemoto opened the scoring with a swerving long-range drive that appeared to catch Kawasaki goalkeeper Eiji Kawashima off-guard. Click to continue reading...

All the colour of the Japanese Yamazaki Nabisco League Cup final will descend upon the National Stadium in Tokyo on November 3, with this year's showpiece event set to be an all-local affair.
FC Tokyo have reached their first League Cup final since 2004, with Hiroshi Jofuku's team winning through on the back of some impressive displays. Click to continue reading...

Sunday October 25
Kawasaki Frontale 7 Sanfrecce Hiroshima 0
Nagoya Grampus 3 Jubilo Iwata 3
Shimizu S-Pulse 1 FC Tokyo 2
Urawa Reds 0 Omiya Ardija 3
Saturday October 24
Gamba Osaka 0 Yokohama F Marinos 0
Kashima Antlers 3 JEF United Chiba 0
Kashiwa Reysol 0 Montedio Yamagata 1
Kyoto Sanga 1 Oita Trinita 1
Vissel Kobe 1 Albirex Niigata 0
Kawasaki Frontale lead the J-League after 30 rounds of the J1 championship following an incredible 7-0 thrashing of Sanfrecce. Click to continue reading...

When the draw for the AFC Champions League group stage was made back in December 2008, few tipped unheralded Japanese side Nagoya Grampus as potential title contenders.
The general consensus was that Dragan Stojkovic's team had been lucky to sneak into third place in the J. League, and thereby qualify for the Asian Football Confederation's recently revamped continental jamboree. Click to continue reading...

Sunday October 18
JEF United Chiba 1 Kyoto Sanga 1
Oita Trinita 2 Shimizu S-Pulse 1
Saturday October 17
Albirex Niigata 0 Urawa Reds 1
FC Tokyo 4 Kashiwa Reysol 0
Jubilo Iwata 0 Kashima Antlers 0
Montedio Yamagata 1 Vissel Kobe 0
Omiya Ardija 2 Kawasaki Frontale 3
Sanfrecce Hiroshima 2 Gamba Osaka 2
Yokohama F Marinos 2 Nagoya Grampus 1
Kawasaki Frontale now lead the J-League after 29 rounds of the J1 championship. Click to continue reading...

There's a new league leader atop the J. League table with Shimizu S-Pulse overtaking Kashima Antlers on goal difference following another dramatic round of action.
A 1-1 home draw with fellow high-fliers Sanfrecce Hiroshima was enough for Shimizu S-Pulse to take over atop the standings, as Japan international Shinji Okazaki cancelled out an earlier strike from Hiroshima star Hisato Sato. Click to continue reading...

Sunday September 27
Shimizu S-Pulse 1 Vissel Kobe 0
Urawa Reds 1 Yokohama F Marinos 2
Saturday September 26
FC Tokyo 3 Jubilo Iwata 2
Gamba Osaka 2 Kawasaki Frontale 1
JEF United Chiba 1 Montedio Yamagata 2
Kashima Antlers 1 Nagoya Grampus 4
Kyoto Sanga 1, Omiya Ardija 3
Oita Trinita 0 Kashiwa Reysol 0
Sanfrecce Hiroshima 1 Albirex Niigata 2
Kashima Antlers remain top of the J-League but now only by a single point as the season approches its traditionally tight finish. Click to continue reading...

Kawasaki Frontale fans' flags in the AFC Champions League, Sep. 23 2009

Photo credit: dillo-h.com on Flickr, via the Pitch Invasion photo pool.

Related posts:

1. Photo Daily | October 25 | PSG Tifo
2. Photo Daily August 23 Eintracht Frankfurt Tifo
3. Photo Daily 07.

Click to continue reading...

Kawasaki Frontale were left kicking themselves after they went down 2-0 to Urawa Reds in front of a capacity crowd at Todoroki Stadium in the J. League last weekend.
That defeat was a further blow to the Kanagawa side's chances of winning a first ever J. League title, but for now coach Takashi Sekizuka will turn his attentions to the Asian Champions League. Click to continue reading...

The J. League has announced that the clash between Kashima Antlers and Kawasaki Frontale will be resumed from the 75h minute after last weekend's fixture was halted due to torrential rain.
Second placed Kawasaki had taken a 3-1 lead at the home of their league leading rivals when referee Masayashi Okada was forced to call time on a waterlogged pitch. Click to continue reading...

Referee Masayoshi Okada took centre stage at Kashima Stadium as he called a halt to the top-of-table clash between Kashima Antlers and Kawasaki Frontale.
With Kawasaki leading 3-1, they were left furious when the match was abandoned after 73 minutes as monsoonal rains swept across the ground. Click to continue reading...