The ever altering poses of Tokyo Fox!
In 2024 I went to 32 soccer matches in Japan which was essentially the most I’ve ever achieved together with my years as a season ticket holder at Leicester Metropolis again within the Nineties. It was deliberate to scale issues again a bit this yr, and certainly I did within the first half of the yr, however a busy July and August has meant that I could get near final yr’s tally.
That is the second batch of matches that includes 5 totally different stadiums/grounds (solely a single new one this time spherical I’m afraid!) with all of them happening in Tokyo and Saitama. The huge majority of them weren’t actually thought of to be worthy of a solitary publish so I’ve collated them into this rankings listing. It’s actually not one to be taken too severely because it’s based mostly on a combination of event, climate, folks I met, the stadium and possibly even the soccer itself! For the report, I’ve loved all of them in several methods.
10. Aries Toshima 0-2 Tokyo United @ Tokyo Fuel Fukagawa Floor, Koto-ku (Tokyo), Sunday thirteenth July (15:00 KO)
A brand new floor for me albeit one with nets limiting imaginative and prescient of this Tokyo Derby within the fifth tier of Japanese soccer. If it’s adequate to function on the Futbology floor hopping app then it’s adequate to be included right here! Fortunately it was free and gave me a superb two hour (return) exercise on my bicyle experience from the Tokyo Fox International Operations Centre.
Climate: Boiling scorching, Worth: 0 yen, Attendance: Unknown.
9. Tokyo Musashino United 1-0 Atletico Suzuka @ Ajinomoto Area Nishigaoka, Kita-ku (Tokyo), Sunday twentieth July (18:00 KO)
The pulling energy of King Kazu (the world’s oldest skilled footballer) continues to be fairly a giant factor in Japan regardless that he’s usually only a substitute. I went to the identical match three years in the past (albeit at a unique stadium) and he by no means performed then! Likewise right here. I wasn’t there to see him although however watching him heat up was most likely extra attention-grabbing than the sport itself which was determined very late on.
Climate: Heat, Worth: 1000 yen, Attendance: Unknown.
8. Urawa Reds Women 0-0 Sanfrecce Hiroshima Regina @ Urawa Komaba Stadium, Urawa (Saitama Prefecture), Sunday tenth August (18:00 KO)
A reasonably unspectacular opening weekend match within the WE League. The guests practically scored within the first minute however not an excessive amount of occurred after that, and the sport predictably led to a stalemate.
Climate: Drizzle, Worth: 2,500 yen, Attendance: 2,646.
7. Tokyo United FC 1-0 Nihon College N. @ Koishikawa Sports activities Floor, Bunkyo-ku (Tokyo), Sunday twenty fourth August (17:30 KO)
While I’m capable of keep in mind pretty unhealthy matches (see the earlier entries on this listing!) I can’t all the time recall an excessive amount of from sure video games with regards to compiling these lists. I remorse not making some post-match notes of this one however my guess is that it was only a pretty common sport. Nothing wonderful however nothing horrible both! The environment sadly wasn’t pretty much as good as my earlier attendance at this floor for a similar workforce.
Climate: Scorching, Worth: 0 yen, Attendance: Unknown.
6. Tokyo United 1-0 RKU Dragons @ Akabane Sports activities-no-mori Park, Kita-ku (Tokyo), Saturday fifth July (18:00 KO)
To be trustworthy, I missed concerning the first 20 minutes of this one resulting from work. A intently fought contest was determined by a single purpose the place the goalie spilled a low cross proper onto the foot of the attacker who may hardly imagine his luck. Apart from that messy purpose, there have been a number of good curling efforts which simply narrowly missed the goal. The blended climate was most likely extra memorable although with scorching and humid situations within the first half making means for wet ones within the second interval.
Climate: Combined, Worth: 0 yen, Attendance: Unknown.
5. J-League Choose Beneath 15s 1-0 Liverpool FC Beneath 15s @ Ajinomoto Area Nishigaoka, Kita-ku (Tokyo), Tuesday twenty ninth July (19:00 KO)
Final yr’s Academy matches have been goal-fests so I used to be wanting ahead to the primary of two video games involving Liverpool Beneath 15s performed earlier than the day earlier than their all-star first workforce had a pleasant towards Yokohama F. Marinos. The respective keepers have been the celebs of this cagey sport.
Climate: Heat, Worth: 0 yen, Attendance: 3,142.
4. Aries Toshima 0-2 Nankatsu SC @ Ajinomoto Area Nishigaoka, Kita-ku (Tokyo), Sunday sixth July (18:30 KO)
My first time to go behind the away purpose at Nishigaoka as I joined a number of dozen Nankatsu ultras to cheer their guys on to victory. They dominated the primary half with some good passing strikes which created a good few possibilities however none have been transformed earlier than an awesome end from an acute angle broke the impasse within the second half.
Climate: Heat, Worth: 1000 yen, Attendance: Unknown.
3. J-League Choose Beneath 15s 2-0 Liverpool FC Beneath 15s @ Ajinomoto Area Nishigaoka, Kita-ku (Tokyo), Thursday thirty first July (19:00 KO)
A barely higher sport for the second match in three days between these academy sides. Once more, it was a reasonably tight and intently fought contest. The goalies have been the star males with some positive saves however sadly for the Liverpool primary it’ll be remembered for his error which gifted the Japanese workforce the lead on the hour mark. To be truthful to him, it was extra all the way down to an terrible backpass placing him beneath strain.
Climate: Breezy, Worth: 0 yen, Attendance: 3,193.
2. RB Omiya Ardija 0-1 JEF United @ Nack5 Stadium, Omiya (Saitama Prefecture), Saturday ninth August (19:00 KO)
JEF had an electrical begin with two possibilities within the opening minute earlier than the house facet awakened and energised themselves. They hit the publish and compelled their opponents goalie to make an awesome save earlier than the break. The away workforce, backed by a wholesome travelling contingent, have been once more off to a flyer because the second interval obtained underway they usually scored a bullet header inside a couple of minutes of the restart. Omiya huffed they usually puffed however they simply couldn’t discover a means by to stage issues up, and ultimately time ran out for them. Extra particulars right here.
Climate: Heat, Worth: 2,000 yen, Attendance: 12,271.
1. Tokyo Beleza 5-0 Nojima Stella @ Ajinomoto Area Nishigaoka, Kita-ku (Tokyo), Sunday seventeenth August (18:00 KO)
Most likely the perfect environment I’ve ever skilled at Nishigaoka with the Beleza followers in positive voice for his or her workforce’s first house match of the season. The primary half was tight, they usually hit the bar twice earlier than lastly breaking the impasse across the hour mark. That actually opened the floodgates and the targets flowed after that. A few of them have been superb ones too.
Climate: Scorching & humid, Worth: 3,000 yen, Attendance: 2,121.
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