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By Jeremy Walker
TOKYO (July 16)--The top-of-the-table clash in Japan's second
division on Sunday ended with honours even in a 1-1 draw between
Consadole Sapporo and Urawa Reds. But neither side seemed particularly
worried about not winning, because the draw enabled them both
to extend their lead over the third-place team in the race for
the two promotion places.
Playing in front of 10,146 fans at the Muroran Irie Stadium
near Sapporo, on the northernmost island of Hokkaido, the home
side took the lead after only 11 minutes with a goal from Brazilian
teenager Emerson. The 18-year-old striker has set the second division
(J2) alight since joining Consadole from Sao Paulo FC for the
start of the season. He has now scored 21 goals in 19 league appearances,
over half his team's 21-game total of 40.
Reds, Japan's best-supported club and generously financed by
Mitsubishi Motors, equalised after 54 minutes through Polish substitute
Andrejz Kubica, his fifth in 17 games since moving to Japan from
Israel's Maccabi Tel Aviv. The score remained 1-1 at 90 minutes,
and a further 30 minutes of "golden goal" extra time failed to
separate the teams, giving them a point apiece.
After 21 of the 40 games, Consadole lead the way with 53 points,
seven clear of second-placed Urawa, who are looking for an immediate
return to J1 after last season's relegation on the final day of
the season. Consadole are favourites for the J2 championship,
however, testimony to the coaching skills of Japan's World Cup
boss in France, Takeshi Okada.
Oita Trinita, who missed out on promotion on the last day of
last season, are a distant third on 38 points, two ahead of Urawa
Reds' Saitama rivals Omiya Ardija in fourth place. At the bottom
of the 11-team table, Ventforet Kofu--the home prefecture of AS
Roma's Hidetoshi Nakata--are stranded on four points, 11 behind
10th-placed Montedio Yamagata. But there is no relegation from
J2, easing the pressure on the strugglers but lessening the tension
and excitement for the fans. The Consadole-Urawa game was the
only one scheduled in J2 on Sunday.
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