It's not borderline at all. When Marcio shoots the ball Tanaka is ONSIDE at this point. Afterward, I believe Marcio did attempt to touch the ball during that awkward bounce, but he does not do so. Thus, offside never comes into the play. Any ways, congrats for surviving the relegation battle.
He is definitely in an offside position when the ball eventually comes to him. It looks to me like it came off the defender, but I suppose the spin may have made it bounce that way too. Either way, the fact that I'm not sure if it was even touched makes it inherently borderline since it's difficult to assert what the facts are
Vegalta freelance reporter and radio commentator Satoru Sasaki got arrested for committing acts of obscenity against two high school girls in a hotel http://www.sponichi.co.jp/society/news/2011/07/28/kiji/K20110728001301280.html
If Kashiwa Reysol won't win this year, Vegalta is going to be the best surprise of this year. After what happened in March, their results have a bigger value. Thanks Vegalta, you're a beautiful tale to tell about football.
Why do you say so? I love Vegalta, but I haven't followed them closely since I left Miyagi (and Japan) in 2008. I just started following them again recently because I finally got a smart phone with a soccer scores app.
Well, i've seen their period in J1.. and they never went forward the 13th place, i guess. And now - with 5 games left to play - they're in 5th position. Even if they had to face the tremendous tragedy of the Tohoku earthquake and the consequent tsunami, which destroyed Miyagi. For me, 6th place could be a real target. And it would be the best place in their history in J1 Division.
Oh yes, of course. I should have realized they were a good football story because of their triumph in spite of the disaster. I don't know what I was thinking. So, you think a place in the AFC Champions League is just a little out of reach?
Correct about Kashiwa. Only if they will win they'll be bigger surprise than Velgata knowing that Kashiwa is a powerhouse when it comes to money. Now Vegalta can fight for 4th place and if one top three teams will win Emperor's Cup then... welcome in Asia. That could be one of the most magical moments in history of J League I think.
I know, 3-1 win away. But.. Vegalta has less potential than Marinos.. Yokohama has some difficults in scoring, otherwise they'd be a winning-title team.
Vegalta could really have used a win over Urawa. That's three points from our last three J-League matches. Turn a couple of those into wins and I think we'd have a pretty good shot of finishing 4th and maybe sneaking into the ACL (depending on how the Emperor's Cup works out). But now, with only G-Osaka and Kobe left to play, I think we'll be lucky to get 3 points from the final two matches. If I'm reading the table right, we'd still need Yokohama to lose to both Kawasaki and Kashima. I shouldn't feel disappointed, though. When I lived in Miyagi we were in J2, and I had no inkling that we'd be in the top half of J1 within just a few years. In our case, ACL isn't as important as making sure we can stay competitive at this level. And who knows, maybe we can keep up our 天皇杯 run and keep the ACL dream alive that way.
Final standings: Is it true? Are we really in fourth? We won and Yokohama tied, so we each have 56 points. Is head-to-head the first tiebreaker? I was thinking it was games won, but apparently not. Wow! Now, other than us, I'm rooting for Nagoya or Kashiwa to win the Emperor's Cup. If that happens, we're in ACL, right? But they're playing EACH OTHER in the next round, ugh.
It's goal differential first followed by goals scored. I think if Yamaga wins, Vegalta would go to the ACL......although if I were a Vegalta fan, I'd probably root for someone else to win the Emperors Cup so that they have a better chance of winning the title next year. I don't think Vegalta has the depth to do both and be successful.
I think Vegalta finishing fourth is a huge feat (Just as huge as Kashiwa winning the league), considering everything they've gone through this season.
After realizing that I totally misread the league's situation a few post away, i have to say that i felt sorry for them. They did a great season after the disaster of the earthquake in March and they finished with nothing in their hands. That's unfair.
I've found a stream of most Vegalta games so far this season, at least one of which included an English commentary track (though I kind of prefer the Japanese audio, for studying purposes), but no luck tonight for some reason. Here's hoping we remain in form.
Thanks! I looked there but didn't have any luck this time for some reason, maybe I was a couple of minutes early.
What a game against Kashiwa Reysol. Three times we took the lead! This looks like a team that just doesn't know what it means to lose confidence.
New coach starting next year. Graham Arnold, who's had success in his relatively short stint in the A-League. He once played for Sanfrecce as well: http://www.theage.com.au/sport/soccer/graham-arnold-confirms-sendai-move-20131114-2xk20.html