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By Jeremy Walker
TOKYO (May 7)
There were many surprises in Japanese soccer over the weekend.
Jubilo Iwata losing at home.
Shimizu S-Pulse getting thrashed away.
Yokohama F Marinos struggling to beat Kyoto Purple Sanga yet returning
to the top of the first division.
But the biggest shock came on Sunday, when
runaway second division leaders Urawa Reds suffered their first
defeat of the season.
Urawa, Japan's best-supported club and backed by Mitsubishi Motors'
billions, had begun life in the second division with eight straight
wins.
But they came unstuck at Yamagata Park Stadium, losing 1-0 to
Montedio after a last-gasp goal from home team striker Satoshi
Mashimo.
Not even World Cup midfielder Shinji Ono could save Urawa. Still
recovering from ankle surgery, Ono replaced fellow international
Masayuki Okano at half-time, but the Reds still lacked the craft
to break down Montedio.
The appearance of the Reds produced a bumper crowd of 11,671 at
the Yamagata venue, more than double the average attendance.
Urawa, however, stayed on top of the table with 23 points from
nine games, four ahead of Oita Trinita, who have 19 from 10.
Omiya Ardija are third, also with 19, and play their 10th match
of the campaign at home to fourth-place Consadole Sapporo on Monday
night.
Up in the first division, Yokohama F Marinos
scored twice in the opening 20 minutes through international team-mates
Atsuhiro Miura and Naoki Matsuda to beat Kyoto Purple Sanga 2-1.
The Marinos, who won the league for the first and only time in
1995, lead the 16-team table with 21 points from 11 games.
Jubilo Iwata are second with 20 from 10 after losing 3-2 at home
to Kashima Antlers.
Jubilo captain Masashi Nakayama twice pulled his team level after
Antlers had gone in front through Atsushi Yanagisawa and Akira
Narahashi, but then saw an extra-time penalty brilliantly saved
by Antlers goalkeeper Daijiro Takakuwa.
The miss proved costly, because Antlers scored the golden goal
through Olympic team winger Masashi Motoyama.
Cerezo Osaka kept up the good work and beat Sanfrecce Hiroshima
1-0 with a 10th goal of the season from captain Hiroaki Morishima.
Cerezo are third, with 20 points from 11 games, ahead of FC Tokyo
on goal difference.
In a clash between the two promoted teams from last season, Tokyo
beat Kawasaki Frontale 2-1, with the deciding goal--a well-directed
header--coming from Tuto.
The Brazilian striker was one of Frontale's key men in their J2
championship-winning season before being loaned out for one year
to Tokyo.
Shimizu S-Pulse could have gone top with a win at Fukuoka, but
went down 3-0 after an uncharacteristically hesitant display from
goalkeeper Masanori Sanada.
At the bottom of the table, Kyoto have only three points from
11 games, but manager Shu Kamo said he had no intention of quitting
after the 2-1 loss to Yokohama.
Frontale are 15th, one place off the bottom, with seven points.
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