VISSEL KOBE, YOKOHAMA F. MARINOS AWAKEN FROM SLUMBER IN AFC CHAMPIONS LEAGUE ELITE

After disappointing starts to the 2024-25 AFC Champions League Elite campaign, Japanese outfits Vissel Kobe and Yokohama F. Marinos both picked up their opening victories on Wednesday. Paul Miller/Getty Images

 Suffice to say, the opening round of the 2024-25 AFC Champions League Elite did not go according to plan for two of the J1 League's representatives.

Expected to go far in the tournament, Yokohama F. Marinos - runners-up last season - fell to a shocking 7-3 loss to debutants Gwangju FC, while Vissel Kobe could only muster a 0-0 draw away to Thailand's Buriram United.

Kawasaki Frontale were the only side to give Japanese football any joy a fortnight ago but, as they fell to a 1-0 defeat of their own to Gwangju on Tuesday, it was time for their compatriots to get their respective campaigns up and running the following evening.

Up against a Shandong Taishan outfit who impressed in a 3-1 victory over Central Coast Mariners last time out, Vissel took a 14th-minute lead when Taisei Miyashiro climbed highest inside the area to head home a Takahiro Ogihara freekick although the visitors would respond through a Cryzan strike two minutes before the half-hour mark.

Nonetheless, six minutes after the restart, as he found space on the edge of the area, Gōtoku Sakai would net what proved to be the winner with a speculative effort that took a wicked deflection before looping into the back of the net over a hapless Wang Dalei.

There may have been a touch of fortune in the manner in which they grabbed the decisive goal for a 2-1 triumph, but there was still an impressive level of professionalism shown by Vissel as they managed the contest -- especially in the closing stages when tempers boiled over and threatened to evolve into something ugly.

A brutal challenge by Gao Zhunyi on Jean Patric -- as the Vissel substitute looked to wind the clock down by the corner flag -- was bad enough as it is, but he then angered the hosts further as he stood over his fallen opponent and mouthed off at him.

The flashpoint led to both benches spilling onto the field with Shandong coach Choi Kang-Hee, and not Gao, seemingly shown a red card shortly after.

Even when play looked set to resume a prolonged delay, Vissel defender Matheus Thuler then decided to reignite the argument with the Shandong bench -- earning himself a caution.

With Choi refusing to leave his seat, the game was halted again and -- as it entered its 105th minute -- the fact that the referee blew the final whistle immediately after it restarted further incensed the Shandong contingent as they stormed onto the pitch to confront the match officials, who needed had to be kept at arm's length by technical staff.

Sakai, already the hero on the scoresheet, was also an example of maturity to follow as urged his teammates to head off the playing area as quickly as possible to avoid further drama -- having earlier restrained Thuler, possibly saving the Brazilian from getting sent off.

There was far less drama and tension 580 kilometres away over in Yokohama but an equal amount of excitement, aside for the travelling Ulsan HD contingent as their team were put to the sword in an emphatic 4-0 win for Marinos.

After Kota Watanabe had handed them the lead as early as the fourth minute, Marinos were always in control after Takuma Nishimura doubled their advantage a minute before the break.

And as the game entered its closing stages and Ulsan began to push more players forward in search of a response, Marinos would twice hit them on the counter -- with Anderson Lopes and Kota Mizunuma applying the finishing touches -- to round off a comprehensive victory.

They may not have began their ACL Elite campaigns in the best possible way.

But, even as they did so in contrasting fashion, both Vissel and Marinos look to have awoken from their slumber.

- Gabriel Tan

THE MACHIDA ZELVIA MIRACLE: HOW ARE J1 LEAGUE DEBUTANTS THE MIDSEASON LEADERS?

 

Machida Zelvia have been the story of the 2024 J1 League season as the newly-promoted outfit find themselves on top of the table past the halfway mark of the campaign in the first season of top-flight football. Hiroki Watanabe/Getty Images

As the 2024 J1 League season passed its halfway mark on Wednesday, a number of usual suspects are unsurprisingly jostling for position at the upper end of the table.

From eight-time record winners Kashima Antlers to defending champions Vissel Kobe and regular contenders such as Gamba Osaka, Sanfrecce Hiroshima and FC Tokyo, all these teams will have reason to believe they can challenge for top honours this term with just seven points separating them from the leaders.

But atop the summit, an unfamiliar name currently leads the way -- and quite remarkably so.

Just 20 games into their maiden season in the top flight of Japanese football, Machida Zelvia currently sit two points clear of the rest of the field.

This is a team that were playing in the third tier as recently as in 2015 and, prior to last season, had never finished higher than fourth in the J2 League. There were even a couple of close shaves where they narrowly escaped relegation back to the J3 League a few years ago.

Instead of battling relegation this season as expected, the fact that Zelvia have now embarked on an unlikely title challenge is nothing short of extraordinary -- and their story only gets better.

Eyebrows were raised at the start of 2023 when the club's search for a new coach saw them turn to Go Kuroda, who had spent 28 years at the helm of high school powerhouses Aomori Yamada but had never taken charge of a professional team.

Kuroda was aware of the initial reservations over his appointment.

"There were many who worried that this team couldn't win in my first pro year," he told The Japan Times after winning promotion at the end of last season.

"But every player on this team faced (the challenge) sincerely and gave everything they had to win, and that gave us power in our push for promotion.

"They took the words of a first-year manager to hear ... and stuck with me without a single complaint."

If Kuroda thought his first year in professional football went well, he might be in for a pleasant surprise depending how the rest of 2024 pans out.

The mastermind behind Machida Zelvia's rapid rise has been Go Kuroda, who is remarkably only in his second season as a professional coach after 28 years in high school football. Masashi Hara/Getty Images

If putting their faith in a previously-unproven tactician has proven a masterstroke, similar credit has to be given to the Zelvia hierarchy for the way they have gone about assembling the squad that is currently leading the J1 League.

Aware that reinforcements were always necessary, especially if they are to avoid the same fate as several of the J.League's yo-yo clubs in recent times, Zelvia were extremely active -- and astute -- in the offseason transfer window.

Centre-back Gen Shoji, who featured for Japan at the 2018 FIFA World Cup and previously played in Ligue 1 with Toulouse, was the biggest name arrival and he would provide an immediate injection of much-needed experience alongside fellow seasoned top-flight campaigners such as Kai Shibato and Keiya Sento.

The club also sought to refresh their foreign player contingent.

Both Oh Se-Hun and Na Sang-Ho, while not the biggest names in South Korean football, arrived with previous J1 League experience under their belts -- and the presence of a fellow compatriot has undeniably made it easier for them to settle into their new surroundings.

Just last month, Oh was rewarded for his impressive displays with Zelvia as he won his first South Korea cap in the Asian qualifiers for the 2022 World Cup.

Kosovo international Ibrahim Drešević, with past stints in the Eredivisie and Turkish Süper Lig, was the third new import for 2024 and he wasted no time in striking up a formidable central defensive partnership with Shoji - with Zelvia's 16 goals conceded the third-best defensive record in the J1 League at present.

Credit for their stability at the back also has to go to 23-year-old goalkeeper Kosei Tani, who was preivously earmarked as possibly a future Japan No. 1 and has been an assured presence as he looks to continue developing as a young custodian in another loan spell away from Gamba.

The acquisition of Tani has also been in line with another key recruitment philosophy: a desire for the team for some youthful energy.

With Yu Hirakawa already an exciting prospect of their own, Zelvia captured Shota Fujio on a permanent deal from Cerezo Osaka after he had impressed while on loan last season, while Kotaro Hayashi was brought in from Yokohama FC respectively.

All have had an impact despite their relative tender years with Fujio, who leads the team with seven goals, and Hirakawa part of the Japan team that won the AFC U-23 Asian Cup at the start of last month, while Hayashi has made the left-back spot his own.

On Wednesday, Zelvia maintained their foothold at the top of the table as they held out for a 0-0 draw away to a star-studded Vissel outfit.

23-year-old Shota Fujio has been a revelation for Machida Zelvia in the 2024 J1 League season, with his team-high seven goals putting him ahead of foreign stars such as Oh Se-Hun and Mitchell Duke. RICHARD A. BROOKS/AFP via Getty Images

It was far from the most impressive result that Zelvia have pulled off in 2024, having notched victories over the likes of Kashima, Urawa Red Diamonds and even AFC Champions League runners-up Yokohama F. Marinos earlier this month.

In an era of football where the virtue of possession-based football is extolled, there is something refreshing about Zelvia's high-paced, direct style -- with every member of Kuroda's throwback 4-4-2 formation going at full tilt for 90 minutes and looking to exploit opponents with wing-play from a bygone era.

Not that it is something they have to be sorry for, but there is an unapologetic way Zelvia go about their business on the field.

Kuroda himself has admitted that, in an ideal world, he would also want his team to "build up from the back and score" but his main priority is simply that his side threaten the opposition in whatever way they do best.

Ask any of the many teams they have pulled off stunning upsets against this season, and all would readily admit just what danger Zelvia have posed.

For a team to go from promotion to champions in one season remains one of football's epic feats.

One of the more recent instances that come to mind is when Kaiserslautern won the Bundesliga in 1997-98, while even Leicester City's stunning Premier League triumph came in their second season back in the English top flight.

There is still just under half the season left to play out and, even if their bubble does eventually burst, there will be still be plenty for Zelvia to be pleased about in their debut J1 League campaign.

Yet, it is nothing short of extraordinary that they are somehow leading the way at the moment.

And if Zelvia can just keep it going till the end of the year, what a miracle that would be.

- Gabriel Tan 

LIONEL MESSI, INTER MIAMI FACE QUESTIONING FROM HONG KONG GOVERNMENT

Lionel Messi was unable to take part in Inter Miami's preseason game in Hong Kong on Sunday. Fred Lee/Getty Images

 The Hong Kong government demanded answers from Inter Miami CF and Lionel Messi on Wednesday after the Argentine played in a friendly in Japan just three days after missing a similar exhibition match in its country.

Hong Kong's Culture, Sports and Tourism Bureau said in a statement that, like the fans, it was very disappointed that Messi could not play in Hong Kong due to injury.

"However three days later, Messi was able to play actively and freely in Japan," the statement read. "The government hopes the organisers and teams can provide reasonable explanations."

Many in the financial hub were dismayed on Sunday when the 36-year-old did not come onto the field during a much hyped Inter Miami match to a sell-out crowd with fans demanding answers and a refund.

Miami head coach Gerardo "Tata" Martino said Messi was deemed unfit to play in Sunday's match in the Hong Kong friendly after saying before the game that it was likely he would play. The World Cup winner came on as a 60th minute substitute on Wednesday in Miami's shootout loss to Japanese side Vissel Kobe.

MUSCAT TO STAND DOWN AS YOKOHAMA F MARINOS COACH

Muscat. Reuters 

Yokohama F Marinos coach Kevin Muscat will leave the club at the end of the season, the former J.League champions announced on Thursday.

Muscat, who replaced Ange Postecoglou at the helm in July 2021 when his fellow Australian took over at Scottish side Celtic, led Marinos to the league title in 2022.

Marinos relinquished the trophy last month to Vissel Kobe, with Muscat's side finishing second in the standings, seven points behind the new champions.

The 50-year-old's last game will be on Wednesday when he leads Yokohama into their final group game in the Asian Champions League against Chinese Super League side Shandong Taishan.

Marinos are third in the group and must win to boost their hopes of progressing to the knockout rounds.

- Reuters