Cerezo Osaka is back on top of the Meiji Yasuda J1 League table. How’d they get there? Let’s dive into the Sakura and the rest of the Matchweek 10 action:Cerezo Osaka 2, Yokohama F·Marinos 2Two of the J.League’s best teams put on a show as Léo Ceará answered an early Kota Mizunuma goal and then a Keigo Sakakibara tally for a 2-2 draw that catapulted Cerezo …

Cerezo Osaka got a taste of first place last week, and they have every intention of getting back on top of the Meiji Yasuda J1 League when they square off against Yokohama F·Marinos on Saturday at 15:00 JST in a match that will be shown live on JLeague.co and broadcasters around the world. The Sakura spent a week on top of the table before suffering t…

Gamba Osaka are winners of two league matches in a row and up to sixth in the table, and they’ll be hoping to keep that good run of J1 form going on Sunday at 15:00 JST when they take on Kashima Antlers in a match that will be shown live on JLeague.co and broadcasters around the world. The Black and Blue of Osaka struggled mightily in the midweek, los…

Yokohama F·Marinos are on their way to the AFC Champions League final after defeating Ulsan Hyundai on penalty kicks in an unforgettable semi-final.Marinos entered the second leg of the tie down 1-0 after defeat in South Korea, but their fans were in full voice at a rainy Nissan Stadium and helped get them off to a quick start.22-year-old Asahi Uenaka took …

The second round of the J.League YBC Levain Cup delivered some stunners, as three lower-division clubs defeated Meiji Yasuda J1 League sides in a memorable night for the competition.The expanded cup brought all J.League clubs into the competition for the first time and after V-Varen Nagasaki took down a J1 side last week, FC Ryukyu, AC Nagano Parceiro and B…

Ryo Germain is still on top of the Meiji Yasuda J1 League scoring chart after finding the back of the net twice in Matchweek 9.Germain's brace was a thing of beauty and began with a brilliant header to open the scoring in Júbilo Iwata’s 2-2 draw with Avispa Fukuoka. Germain now has nine goals from nine matches, keeping him in control of the race…

FC Machida Zelvia slipped up last week to fall from the top of the table, but they are right back in first place now. Find out how they did it and all the rest of the Matchweek 9 action:FC Tokyo 1, FC Machida Zelvia 2Na Sang-ho scored the opener and Oh Se-hun added a second as the South Korean duo fired Zelvia to victory and back to the top of the table. …

Urawa Reds and Gamba Osaka are two proud clubs with glittering histories, and on Saturday at 16:00 JUST they will meet at Saitama Stadium 2002 in a match that you can watch live on JLeague.co and broadcasters around the world. Urawa and Gamba are two of the three Japanese clubs to win the modern AFC Champions League and, as former kings of Asia, they …

FC Machida Zelvia suffered their first major setback of the season last week, but they are still right in the heart of the title race. They’ll be looking to bounce back on Sunday at 15:00 JST when they take on FC Tokyo in a match that will be shown live on JLeague.co and broadcasters around the world. Machida got off to a phenomenal start in their mai…

Yokohama F·Marinos were unable to find a way through against Ulsan Hyundai in the first leg of their AFC Champions League semi-final tie, falling 1-0.Nevertheless, the Tricolor still have a fantastic opportunity to book their spot in the final, down just one goal heading back to Yokohama for the second leg.Ulsan went in front after 19 minutes when a smooth …

The second round of the 2024 J.League YBC Levain Cup brought Japan’s top-flight clubs into the competition and, with it, came the tournament’s first big upset.Meiji Yasuda J2 League side V-Varen Nagasaki toppled first-division Júbilo Iwata, 1-0, thanks to a goal by Kazuki Kushibiki.There was nearly another massive upset as J3 club Matsumoto Yamaga took a le…

Yokohama F·Marinos are one of Japan’s biggest clubs and have won nearly every trophy on offer, but there is one piece of silverware that has eluded them - the AFC Champions League.This could be the year that the Tricolor finally reach the summit of Asian club football, with their maiden semi-final coming up against Ulsan Hyundai and the storied club standin…

Yu Hirakawa has been awarded the first Konami Monthly MVP of the 2024 season, giving him top player honors in the Meiji Yasuda J1 League for February and March.The FC Machida Zelvia winger was fabulous for the newly-promoted side, helping lead them to the top of the table in their first-ever top flight campaign.Hirakawa scored the lone goal in Zelvia’s 1-0 …

Kaito Taniguchi started off the season with a bang, scoring a volley to remember in Matchweek 1 that has won him Goal of the Month for February and March.Albirex Niigata had fallen behind Sagan Tosu early on, but then a long ball over the top found Taniguchi. He could have tried running in on goal, but instead he blasted it with his first touch from 25 yard…

Go Kuroda’s first month in the first division has been nothing short of remarkable as he led FC Machida Zelvia straight to the top of the table. Now, he’s been recognized for the marvelous job he’s done by being named Manager of the Month for February and March.Kuroda was a high school coaching legend before taking over Zelvia in 2023 and immediately led th…

Akito Suzuki was sterling up front for Shonan Bellmare in February and March, showing just how promising the 20-year-old is. For that terrific play, Suzuki has been awarded the season’s first J1 Young Player of the Month.Suzuki started all five of Bellmare’s games in February and March, scoring his first goal of the season in the 82nd minute to beat Kyoto S…

Ryo Germain still leads the Meiji Yasuda J1 League with seven goals. The Júbilo Iwata man continues to pace the league, with Sanfrecce Hiroshima's Yuki Ohashi on six just behind him.The trailing pack has some players who are surging, though. Anderson Lopes scored in midweek action as Yokohama F·Marinos beat Gamba Osaka to put him on five goals. L…

There’s a new team atop the Meiji Yasuda J1 League. Let’s check in on our leaders and all the other action from Matchweek 8:Cerezo Osaka 1, Kawasaki Frontale 0Cerezo star man Léo Ceará headed home a terrific cross from Capixaba to score the game’s lone goal and fire the Sakura to the top of the table. Avispa Fukuoka 1, Sanfrecce Hiroshima 1Iranian str…

The Tokyo Derby is officially back.16 years have passed since FC Tokyo and Tokyo Verdy last met in the top flight, but the capital rivalry returns to the Meiji Yasuda J1 League this Saturday at 16:00 JST.J.League fans have waited over a decade and a half for this highly-anticipated clash, which will be shown live around the globe on JLeague.co or a local br…

Is this the season that Urawa Reds leap back into the Meiji Yasuda J1 League title race? They certainly think so, and that means picking up points week in, week out, including on Friday at 19:00 JST when they travel to Kashiwa Reysol in a match that will be shown live on JLeague.co and broadcasters around the world.It’s been eight years since Urawa finished…