The 2025 J.LEAGUE YBC Levain CUP 1st Round continued on Wednesday, and there were a trio of upsets and goals galore as MEIJI YASUDA J2 LEAGUE clubs entered the competition.
There was a nine-goal thriller and a shock result in Fukushima, as Fukushima United FC of the MEIJI YASUDA J3 LEAGUE overcame Hokkaido Consadole Sapporo 6-3 after extra time.
Fukushima came from behind three times inside the initial 90 minutes before Kanta Jojo, Uheiji Uehata, and Hayate Toma struck in extra time to wrap up the win.
Sapporo’s fellow MEIJI YASUDA J2 LEAGUE sides Sagan Tosu and Vegalta Sendai were also taken the distance and then eliminated by teams from the third tier.
Tosu were beaten 1-0 by Matsumoto Yamaga F.C. - Sora Tanaka Matsumoto’s hero with the only goal of the game in extra time - while Sendai were beaten 4-3 in a penalty shoot-out by Tochigi SC after their match had finished goalless.
JEF United Chiba have started the 2025 MEIJI YASUDA J2 LEAGUE with six wins from six games but their journey in the J.LEAGUE YBC Levain CUP ended in the 1st Round as they were beaten 4-2 by Kataller Toyama, who were powered by a hat-trick from Shosei Usui.
RB Omiya Ardija have also been in good form in the league so far, but they needed a dramatic 7-6 penalty shoot-out win to get past IWAKI FC after the sides fought out a rollercoaster 3-3 draw.
Meanwhile, V-Varen Nagasaki emerged as 4-1 victors from their tie against Thespa Gunma, but needed an 84th-minute equaliser from Marcos Guilherme before an own goal, Asahi Masuyama strike, and second from Marcos Guilherme enabled them to progress after extra time.
Shimizu S-Pulse were the only MEIJI YASUDA J1 LEAGUE side in action on Wednesday and claimed a comfortable 3-1 win over MEIJI YASUDA J3 LEAGUE opponents S.C. Sagamihara, while Shimizu’s Shizuoka neighbours Jubilo Iwata beat FC Osaka 2-1.
Elsewhere, there were away wins for Renofa Yamaguchi FC, 3-2 at Oita Trinita, Blaublitz Akita, 2-0 over Ehime FC, and Montedio Yamagata, also 2-0 against Kagoshima United FC, while Mito Hollyhock beat Roasso Kumamoto 1-0 and Ventforet Kofu overcame Fujieda MYFC 2-1.
The contest between FC Imabari and Tokushima Vortis was postponed due to wildfires in Imabari City, and has been rescheduled to Wednesday 9 April.
