NEWS

Kashima Antlers clinched the J. League Division One title for the second successive year with a 1-0 win away to relegated Consadole Sapporo on Saturday, the final day of league action.

Midfielder Takuya Nozawa scored with a fierce shot in the first half to give Kashima their sixth league title and 12th trophy overall.
Kashima ended their 2008 campaign with 63 points from an 18-9-7 win-draw-loss record. Brazilian forward Marquinhos was also the year’s top goal-scorer with 21 league goals.
Kawasaki Frontale finished second in J1, three points behind Kashima with an 18-6-10 record, followed by Nagoya Grampus on 59 points.
Frontale won 2-0 at Tokyo Verdy thanks to goals from Renatinho and Kengo Nakamura to overtake Nagoya on the final day and send Verdy into Division Two. Nagoya were held to a scoreless draw at the hands of fourth-placed Oita Trinita.
Kashima’s win means they will again play in next year’s AFC Champions League, alongside Frontale, who played in 2007, and Grampus, who will be making their ACL debut. The top three league teams will be joined by the Emperor’s Cup winners.
“Winning the league title two years in a row is a difficult thing to achieve, so I’m very happy that were able to do that,” Kashima’s Brazilian manager Oswaldo Oliveira said.
Kashima, who only needed a draw to clinch the title, started the game slowly but gradually came into the game, with forwards Shinzo Koroki and Marquinhos pressuring the Consadole defense.
The game’s only goal came in the 36th minute. After receiving a ball from Marquinhos, Nozawa advanced down the middle and blasted in a shot from 25 meters that Consadole goalkeeper Yuya Sato couldn’t touch.
Sapporo, whose fate was decided weeks ago, attempted to rally, with midfielder Kazumasa Uesato and Brazilian forward Davi both coming close, but they were unable to put the ball into the net.
“I’m a lucky man, as I have good players and staff and a wonderful environment in which to work with them,” Oliveira commented.
“From the start of the season, our players were aware of what was required of them and that helped pull us through the difficult moments.
“Our back-to-back titles will have their place in Japanese football history and will remain one of the highlights of my career.”
At the other end of the table, Verdy finished 17th and were relegated to the second division after losing to Kawasaki at home. Verdy lost former Japan midfielder Takashi Fukunishi when he was sent off halfway through the first half.
Three-time champions Jubilo Iwata lost 1-0 to Omiya Ardija and finished 16th. They will now meet Vegalta Sendai, the third-placed team from Division Two, in a two-leg playoff to decide on the third promotion/relegation slot. The matches will take place on Wednesday in Sendai and Saturday in Iwata.
Division Two champions Sanfrecce Hiroshima and runners-up Montedio Yamagata will play in Division One next season.
JEF United Chiba, who were in 17th position going into the final game of the season, appeared doomed when they were losing 2-0 to FC Tokyo with only 20 minutes left on the clock. But Alex Miller’s men staged a remarkable comeback, scoring four goals in 16 minutes to overcome Tokyo 4-2 and jump out of the relegation zone.
Asian champions Gamba Osaka were upset 3-2 at Albirex Niigata, while Urawa Reds, who won the ACL last year, finished seventh after a 6-1 demolition by the Yokohama F. Marinos in Saitama. Shimizu S-Pulse beat hosts Kyoto Sanga 3-1, while Kashiwa Reysol edged 10-man Vissel Kobe 2-0 in Kobe.