JEF United Ichihara-Chiba vs Nagoya Grampus, 2009 Japanese J League
· Japanese J.League
Maori All Blacks break Fiji hearts
The Maori All Blacks piled on 17 unanswered second-half points to steal a 27-26 victory over Fiji at Suva's National Stadium on Saturday
Game Information
Venue: Rinkai Stadium
Location: , Japan
Japanese J1 League Table
| # | TEAM | GP | GD | PTS |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kashima Antlers | 18 | +20 | 45 |
| 2 | FC Tokyo | 18 | +12 | 37 |
| 3 | Machida Zelvia | 18 | +4 | 37 |
| 4 | Kawasaki Frontale | 18 | -4 | 28 |
Japanese J1 League News
Japan wingback Yukinari Sugawara has reiterated that his team are at the World Cup not just to participate, but to win it.
Socceroos bolter Tete Yengi says his journey to the national team has not been straightforward, but he believes these adventures have played a key role in his pursuit of becoming the "ultimate player" and, more importantly, a World Cup representative.
Even with a couple of key players out through injury, Japan could still be the most exciting team at the 2026 World Cup.
Tolgay Arslan has announced his retirement -- perhaps ending it all after a final sense of fulfilment at Sanfrecce Hiroshima.
After a disappointing World Cup debut last time out, 2026 could just be Takefusa Kubo's time to shine for Japan.