Antlers blow another chance to pull away in J1
Written by Writer on Tuesday, November 11th, 2008
Antlers blow another chance to pull away in J1
Shintaro Kano / Daily Yomiuri Sportswriter
The first-place team in the J.League failed to pull away–again.
With Nagoya Grampus and Kawasaki Frontale having lost the day before, Kashima Antlers had an excellent opportunity on Sunday to take a big step toward their second straight title.
But just as it has been with Grampus, Urawa Reds and Oita Trinita this season, Kashima could not pounce when it mattered, drawing 0-0 to Albirex Niigata at home to keep the championship race completely wide open.
Antlers improved to 54 points to stay on top after the draw, but their lead over second-place Reds stood at just one point with three games remaining. FC Tokyo, the sixth-place team, is three points out of first.
“We were in control for the most part, but there are going to be days like this in soccer. There will be times when you create chances but can’t capitalize,” Kashima coach Oswaldo Oliveira said during the post-game press conference.
“Yet it is disappointing because we had the chance to pull away from the rest and couldn’t do it.”
Oita lifted the Nabisco Cup last week, and coach Pericles Chamusca fielded his bench in the Emperor’s Cup loss to J2 Sagan Tosu on Wednesday to save the team for the league.
With victory over JEF United Chiba on Sunday, Trinita could have moved level on points with Antlers. But Chamusca’s side also managed to produce a scoreless draw that put them on 52 points.
After a two-week recess for Japan’s World Cup qualifier against Qatar, Oita hosts Kashima, a game which could make or break the season for either team. Or maybe not, given the way the campaign has progressed through the first 31 matches.
“We had the chance to go top but we failed to make the most of it,” Chamusca said. “We’re only two points out of first and we go head-to-head [with Antlers] in the next game.
“We still have a shot.”
The bottom end of the table is equally tight. JEF failed to climb out of the relegation zone with their draw against Oita and sit in 17th place on 35 points. But Yokohama F Marinos, who are in 12th, only have 39 points.
Between the two are Omiya Ardija (38), Albirex (38), Jubilo Iwata (36) and Tokyo Verdy (36). The latter is in the relegation playoff berth at 16th after a 2-0 home loss to Vissel Kobe on Sunday.
(Nov. 11, 2008)
