J League Update: Kashima battles the Red Diamonds (and loses)

By: Ian Rose | April 13th, 2008

First Flaming Lips reference on the front page of the Offside? Until proven wrong, I’m claiming it.

It’s been a crazy weekend in the J League, with the first signs of vulnerability for defending champs Kashima Antlers, continued success for our favorite dancing Killer Whale at Grampus, and more trouble at JEF Chiba. All the latest in the J League after the bump. Who knows, there might even be lasers.

It was somewhat of a clash of the J League titans this weekend, with last season’s top two, Kashima and Urawa Reds, facing off in one of the first big head-to-head matches of the young season. Kashima went into this match undefeated in all competitions, with five wins out of five in the J League as well as three wins out of three in the group stages of the AFC Champions League. Not too shabby. Urawa, on the other hand, have a bye in the Champions League until the quarterfinals, since they won the whole thing last season, and have had a shaky start to their J League campaign, with two losses in their first five games. After a scoreless first half, Urawa took over, and took the upset win 2-0, on two second-half goals from last year’s Champions League MVP, Yuichiro Nagai.

This opened the door for Grampus, Grampaka and all the other orcas at Nagoya Grampus to get their first chance at the J League lead. They traveled to Shizuoka to take on Shimizu S-Pulse, another of the veterans of J League top division football. Grampus had to wait only ten minutes before getting the opening goal, from midfielder Yoshizumi Ogawa. S-Pulse had no answer, and in the 90th, Grampus put away the insurance goal, through Keita Sugimoto, and won 2-0. They now sit on a 1-point lead in the J League standings, with six matches played. Grampus also now have the distinction of being the only undefeated side in the league.

Things were not so rosy for the other side featured in last week’s column, JEF United Chiba. The woes continue to pile up for JEF, as they recorded their fourth loss of the season at home against Omiya Ardija. For the second week in a row, they conceded four goals, but this time it wasn’t to the league leaders away, but to a mid-table side at home. Brazilian striker Denis Marques netted two for Ardija, raising his side to 8th in the league and dooming JEF to stay at just two points from six matches, and tied on goal difference for last place in J League.

JEF’s company at the bottom of the table is Albirex Niigata, who actually pulled off quite a good result this weekend, getting a draw away at Gamba Okasa. Osaka, like Kashima, are leading their group in the AFC Champions League, and came into this match on ten points, to Niigata’s one. But a brace from former Dynamo Kiev right back Mori Nunes Alessandro was enough to keep Niigata in the match, and secure what might end up being a vital point in the race for J League survival.

Overall, a great week of matches in the J League. Next week, Grampus and JEF face off, with one looking to stay top, and the other off the bottom. Kashima tries to get back to winning ways against Gamba Osaka, and third-placed Urawa Reds are at home against Denis Marques and Ardija. Stay tuned. Sorry, no lasers.