Kawasaki Frontale 0-0 Shimizu S-Pulse

Competition: J.League Division 1
Date: Saturday, 27th March 2010 (13:00 kick off)
Venue: Todoroki Stadium
Attendance: 17,716

Scoresheet:

Teamsheet:

GK KAWASHIMA
DF MORI
DF IGAWA
DF TERADA
DF KOMIYAMA
MF INAMOTO (yellow card 67')
MF TANIGUCHI (replaced by KIMURA 77')
MF TASAKA (replaced by KUSUKAMI 85')
FW KUROTSU
FW CHONG (replaced by NOBORIZATO 81')
FW RENATINHO

Comment:

To follow...

Highlights:

To follow...

Juninho Suffers Further Setback

More bad tidings from the medics this week as Juninho's rehabilitation is said to have taken a setback.

The veteran Brazilian had made a return to training but suffered a recurrence of his calf injury last Sunday (21st March) which is set to rule him out for a further four weeks.

Isn't it about time those doctors had some good news?

Kawasaki Frontale 4-0 Melbourne Victory

Competition: AFC Champions League - Group E
Date: Tuesday, 23rd March 2010 (19:00 kick off)
Venue: Todoroki Stadium
Attendance: 9,728

Scoresheet:

CHONG 03', KUROTSU 11', RENATINHO 22', TANIGUCHI 90'

Teamsheet:

GK KAWASHIMA
DF MORI
DF IGAWA (yellow card 21')
DF ITO
DF KOMIYAMA
MF INAMOTO (replaced by YOKOYAMA '78)
MF TANIGUCHI (yellow card 30')
MF TASAKA (replaced by KUSUKAMI 86')
FW KUROTSU (replaced by NOBORIZATO 90')
FW CHONG (yellow card 34', red card 45')
FW RENATINHO

Comment:

Bit of a delay getting this report up, but to be honest I wasn't sure what to make of the game.

Let's be frank - Melbourne were awful. They certainly have their excuses (and I'm sure next week's return fixture will be less one-sided). But for the first half of Tuesday night's encounter it was real amateur stuff from the Australians.

Renatinho is someone they'll need to deal with a lot better back in Oz. He was the star of the show, setting up Chong Tese for the first within minutes of kick-off and scoring the third with a fine solo effort.

Kurotsu's goal was a touch fortuitous as his flick-on from Tasaka's free kick looped just inside the top corner, giving the Melbourne keeper no chance. But the sheer ease with which Frontale were controlling possession and carving out opportunities was almost as embarrassing for the home fans as for the travelling support.

Had Chong not reacted so rashly to Grant Brebner's manhandling on the stroke of half time, it could (and should) have been a lot worse for the visitors. As it was, they were able to cope a little better against ten men in the second half. But it was only really after the arrival of substitutes Marvin Angulo and Matthew Foschini - who at least seemed less intent on giving the ball away - that Frontale were put under any pressure.

During their brief spell in the ascendancy, Nik Mrdja (who was on the end of a 5-0 Frontale thumping last season with Central Coast Mariners) missed two decent chances. But it would have been a travesty for the game to end with anything less than a four-goal margin. And it was captain Taniguchi who wrapped things up with a tap-in at the far post after a long ball from Kawashima to Renatinho had outwitted the beleaguered Melbourne defence.

Nice as it is to bounce back from a 4-0 defeat with a 4-0 victory, I'm not sure what Frontale can really take from this game. The important thing is that we finally have points on the board. And, with Seongnam beating Beijing 3-1 in the group's other game, that second qualification spot is suddenly looking a lot more attainable.

Huge game against S-Pulse on Saturday.

Highlights:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6PJayQyAQCc

Yokohama F Marinos 4-0 Kawasaki Frontale

Competition: J.League - Division 1
Date: Saturday, 20th March 2010 (14:00 kick off)
Venue: Nissan Stadium
Attendance: 35,870

Scoresheet:

NAKAMURA 08' YAMASE 12', 40' KURIHARA 60'

Teamsheet:

GK KAWASHIMA
DF MORI
DF SONODA (replaced by IGAWA 88')
DF ITO
DF KOMIYAMA
MF INAMOTO (replaced by KUSUKAMI 80')
MF TANIGUCHI
MF TASAKA
FW KUROTSU (replaced by NOBORIZATO 72')
FW CHONG (yellow card 73')
FW RENATINHO (yellow card 43')

Comment:

After last week's narrow win in Nagoya, coach Takahata proclaimed that Frontale's 2010 title challenge will depend on their away results. So the embarrassment of a 4-0 drubbing at local rivals Yokohama F Marinos may just be enough to persuade him that attack is not always the best form of defence.

The most troublng aspect of Saturday's defeat (besides the scoreline...and the lack of efforts on goal) was the coach's refusal to respond to what was clearly a tactical mismatch in the middle of the park.

Perhaps the need to claw back a three-goal deficit persuaded him to keep his under-supplied, three-pronged frontline intact at half time. However, the fact that Inamoto, Taniguchi and Tasaka were being so completely outnumbered and outrun in midfield would surely have sparked a reaction from most other coaches.

Admittedly, on another day, Yokohama's midfield dominance might not have left their opponents with such a second-half mountain to climb. Shunsuke Nakamura's long-range, 8th-minute strike was certainly well hit, but spent a long time travelling towards the top corner. A keeper of Eiji's quality should really have done better.

And, while I may be clutching at straws to suggest that Koji Yamase was offside for his first of the afternoon, his second was undeniably set up via the hand of Shingo Hyodo.

Even when the Marinos chalked up their fourth after 60 minutes - a majestic leap from centre-back Yuzo Kurihara to convert Nakamura's deep corner-kick delivery - it took a further 12 minutes for Takahata to make a change. Does this suggest a lack of tactical awareness? Or is it a lack of faith in his supporting cast?

In truth, I very much doubt it's the former. And it would be a real shame if it was the latter, as both Noborizato and Kusukami showed, during their brief cameos, that they can certainly challenge the likes of Kurotsu and Tasaka for places in the starting eleven.

To put things into perspective, I'd say this was a blip rather than the beginning of the end (I actually thought Frontale were outplayed more in last year's version of this fixture, even though the result then was only 2-1).

But I do have a feeling this kind of result is the price Frontale fans will have to pay at times with Takahata back in charge. Let's just hope it remains the exception rather than the rule.

Highlights:

To follow...

Nagoya Grampus 2-3 Kawasaki Frontale

Competition: J.League - Division 1
Date: Saturday, 13th March 2010 (16:00 kick off)
Venue: Toyota Stadium
Attendance: 25,176

Scoresheet:

KANAZAKI 06' MAGNUM 78'

RENATINHO 03' CHONG 16', 90'

Teamsheet:

GK KAWASHIMA
DF MORI
DF KIKUCHI (yellow card 25' / replaced by SONODA 29')
DF ITO
DF KOMIYAMA (yellow card 49')
MF INAMOTO (replaced by YOKOYAMA 46')
MF TANIGUCHI
MF TASAKA
FW KUROTSU
FW CHONG (yellow card 42')
FW RENATINHO (yellow card 20' / replaced by KIMURA 77')

Comment:

That's what it's all about! I'd like to distill that game, bottle it, and stick a label on the front saying "Vintage Frontale". Not that I think it was the best of performances, but it contained all the characteristics that make Frontale a great team to follow.

There were wonder strikes, glaring misses, goalkeeping acrobatics, lucky breaks, and wave after wave of skin-of-the-teeth defending. But most importantly there was drama from start to finish.

Frontale got off to a dream start courtesy of a Renatinho free kick. It was a decent hit from a central position just outside the area, but Nagoya keeper Seigo Narazaki must feel he could have done better.

Still, no sooner had Grampus won their first corner, the scores were level again. Kawashima did well at the far post to block a goal-bound header from former Frontale favourite Magnum. But the ever-agile Mu Kanazaki was quickest to react and lashed in the rebound.

Then, with 15 minutes barely on the clock, Chong Tese notched up his first of the season. It was another free-kick from the edge of the penalty box, but this time a massive deflection off the wall gave Narazaki no chance.

Nagoya came tearing back, giving the Frontale defence all sorts of problems. Josh Kennedy missed the target with a free header and Eiji got a strong hand to a well-struck Keiji Tamada free-kick.

Komiyama seemed solid enough on the left and Inamoto was quietly effective in the middle of the park. But Mori and the centre-backs spent much of the time looking uncomfortably stretched.

The defensive problems weren't helped by Kikuchi's injury, and subsequent departure, after 25 minutes. That said, Sonoda gave a steady performance in his place and continues to look a capable deputy.

Other than a fine mid-range effort from Taniguchi, Frontale did little to trouble Narazaki for the remainder of the half. But it was by no means a wholly one-sided affair. And it was no great surprise when the visitors resumed control of the game after the break.

Rather worryingly, Inamoto failed to re-emerge for the second half. Hopefully it was just a precautionary measure (certainly it wasn't a tactical switch). Adding Inamoto's name (or Kikuchi's for that matter) to the list of walking wounded would be yet another hammerblow to an already injury-stricken squad.

However, the introduction of Yokoyama in place of Inamoto brought about a period of midfield dominance during which Frontale had a handful of good chances to extend their lead. Renatinho and Chong both sent free headers wide of the mark. And Taniguchi struck a swerving drive almost too cleanly as it curled back just far enough to hit the post.

But the tide was set to change with the arrival of Nagoya's Montenegrin midfielder Igor Burzanovic. Suddenly, the home team were in total control and proceeded to pile on the pressure until a breakthrough was inevitable.

It came, all-too-predictably, from Magnum. (He always plays well against his old team and, on this evidence, he's back to his very best.) Burzanovic curled in a free kick from the left and the shaven-headed No. 8 easily escaped the attentions of Kurotsu to head home from 8 yards out.

At this stage, the three points no longer seemed an option and it was looking more like an exercise in damage limitation. But Takahata's decision to bring on Kimura for Renatinho started to give Frontale a bit more traction in midfield. And with a minute of normal time remaining Chong Tese delivered his first piece of magic of the season.

Kimura's cross into the box fell behind him, but running away from goal the Korean managed to swivel 180 degrees and crack one into the corner of the net. Now, if he could just do that a bit more often!

Two wins from two games equals Frontale's best ever start to a J1 season. In 2006 they went on to lose their third away to Ventforet Kofu. What odds a new club record in Yokohama next Saturday?

Highlights:

To follow...

Kawasaki Frontale 1-3 Beijing Guoan

Competition: AFC Champions League - Group E
Date: Tuesday, 9th March 2010 (19:00 kick off)
Venue: Todoroki Stadium
Attendance: 6,606

Scoresheet:

KIKUCHI 40'

GRIFFITHS 36' WANG CHANGQING 65', 86'

Teamsheet:

GK KAWASHIMA
DF MORI
DF KIKUCHI
DF ITO
DF KOMIYAMA
MF INAMOTO (yellow card 57')
MF TANIGUCHI
MF TASAKA (replaced by KIMURA 88')
FW KUROTSU (replaced by NOBORIZATO 88')
FW CHONG
FW RENATINHO (replaced by YAJIMA '70)

Comment:

Well that was a difficult game to watch. And not just because it's nigh-on impossible to see a white ball on a pitch that's 6 inches deep in snow.

On the whole, Frontale didn't actually play too badly (if you ignore the lack of composure in the final third and the tendency to leave themselves exposed at the back). You could always point to the injury list and the freak weather conditions as excuses. But in fairness, it was simply yet another example of what happens when you don't take your chances.

Beijing opened the scoring with what may well have been their first shot of the match. Frontale lost a couple of 50-50 midfield challenges in quick succession which suddenly left Ito exposed to a foot race against Australian striker Joel Griffiths. No prizes for guessing who won, and the former Socceroo calmly slotted his shot under big Eiji.

Frontale's response was almost immediate - Kikuchi getting some kind of touch on a Tasaka corner to settle the freezing home fans' nerves.

Frontale continued their dominance at the start of the second half. Renatinho came closest, hitting the outside of the post from a tight angle. But again, just when it looked like they might find a way through Beijing's stubborn defence, they were punished on the break.

This time Kikuchi got back well to prevent a shot from Brazilian speedster Otto. But Ito seemed to lose his bearings and left half-time substitute Wang Yongqing free at the edge of the box to send a low shot into the far corner.

This second goal seemed to knock the wind out of Frontale's sails and the visitors began to enjoy their first real spell of extended pressure. Renatinho made way for Yajima and the troops eventually managed to regroup with around ten minutes remaining.

But the result was put beyond doubt in the dying minutes when super-sub Wang Yongqing evaded an increasingly flimsy offside trap and chipped a deft lob over the stranded Kawashima. The snow played its part, taking the pace off the through-ball and practically teeing it up for the lob. But in reality the game was already lost.

It's still early days, but it's pretty difficult to be optimistic about the ACL at this stage. Frontale have a six-point gap to close in four games, the last of which is away to to Beijing. And while there's no suggestion that they've been outclassed in either of their Group E encounters so far, it's hard to see them showing the levels of consistency for what will need to be a near-100% record from their remaining fixtures.

Highlights:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=shqSrWL1i80

Kawasaki Frontale 2-1 Albirex Niigata

Competition: J.League Division 1
Date: Saturday, 6th March 2010 (16:00 kick off)
Venue: Todoroki Stadium
Attendance: 22,117

Scoresheet:

RENATINHO 1' KUROTSU 22'

CHO 64'

Teamsheet:

GK KAWASHIMA
DF MORI
DF TERADA (yellow card 79')
DF ITO
DF KOMIYAMA
MF INAMOTO (yellow card 81')
MF TANIGUCHI
MF TASAKA (yellow card 34')
FW KUROTSU
FW CHONG (replaced by YAJIMA 86')
FW RENATINHO (replaced by NOBORIZATO '71)

Comment:

Frontale turned adversity into advantage on Saturday as they notched up their first opening-day win since 2007.

A full house at Todoroki was in full voice even before the starting whistle as the home team emerged from the dressing room all kitted out in Kengo's number 14 shirt. A touching tribute to their injury-hit captain (watching on from the stands) and a testament to just how much he means to this club.

Boosted by this emotional start to proceedings, Frontale raced into a two-goal lead. Renatinho wasted no time in showing just what kind of threat he'll be hoping to pose this season. Kurotsu escaped down the right and his blocked shot rebounded to the Brazilian in far too much space at the edge of the box. He cut inside the outrushing defender and belted his shot into the top corner.

Niigata's talismanic striker, Kisho Yano, then had a headed goal rightly ruled out for offside, before Kurotsu doubled the home side's advantage.

Inamoto, making his home debut for the boys in blue, gobbled up a loose ball in the Albirex midfield. He then timed his pass to perfection releasing Kurotsu down the right channel from where the gangly striker (who's certainly making the most of his opportunity in Juninho's absence) smashed his unchallenged left-foot shot just inside the far post.

So, barely a quarter of the game played and the visitors already looked out for the count. But, remember - this is Frontale. And as the game wore on, the old familiar flaws started to re-emerge.

My biggest problem with Frontale's defence is their complete inability to cope with long balls in the air. How many times do you see balls that should be cleared first time back towards the halfway line headed straight up in the air or only cleared as far as the edge of the penalty area?

The damage caused by these penalty area scrambles is two-fold. Not only does it put massive pressure on Eiji, who must feel a greater responsibility to deal with balls his centre backs can't handle. It also gives a massive boost to the opposing offence.

We saw it against Seongnam and we saw it again on Saturday. Having looked down and out, Niigata managed to apply a bit of pressure. That pressure turned into winning a few corners. And Frontale's repeated vulnerability from those corners gave their opponents a new sense of belief. Without another string of superb saves from Eiji, the team's problems could have been heavily compounded.

As it turned out, the away goal resulted from another of Frontale's defensive frailties - the offside trap. Much like Seongnam's opener the other week, Cho Young-Cheol looked to have strayed just a yard too far when the ball was played through to him. But, to be fair, Niigata had already seen a couple of close calls go against them.

Would Kikuchi be a better option than Terada in the backline? Well, he's better in the air, and he's certainly quicker...I know who I'd be picking.

I apologise for focussing on the negatives on a day when we should really just be celebrating the three points. But this is a team that wants to win trophies and the fact remains there are far sterner tests to come than Albirex Niigata.

Highlights:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KZw6jf2L_54.