This combined photo shows Yokohama F Marinos' Daizen Maeda, left, Gamba Osaka's Yosuke Ideguchi

Daizen Maeda of Yokohama F Marinos, is the ninth player in J-League history to be named the MVP while

YOKOHAMA( Kyodo)--Japan punched their ticket to the Tokyo Olympic men's soccer quarterfinals Wednesday, with rising star Takefusa Kubo continuing his scoring streak in an emphatic 4-0 win over France.... " You saw that execution tonight within the context of our team concept." France finished the match with 10 men after forward Randal Kolo Muani was shown a red card in the 72nd minute, with his side already trailing 3-0.... Twenty-year-old Real Madrid attacker Kubo maintained his streak of sco

Japan men's football coach Hajime Moriyasu, center, is seen on Aug.... Manager Hajime Moriyasu named veterans with European experience in Vissel Kobe forwards Yuya Osako and Yoshinori Muto as well as full-backs Yuto Nagatomo of FC Tokyo and Hiroki Sakai of Urawa Reds, while handing four players their first senior call-ups.... They include the new J1 young player of the year Ryotaro Araki, a 19-year-old Kashima Antlers attacker who scored 10 J-League top-flight goals this term to become only th

Yuya Osako of Vissel Kobe reacts after scoring the winner in the second half of a J-League football match against Tokushima Vortis at Noevir Stadium in Kobe, on Nov.... It was the second league goal for Osako since joining from Werder Bremen over the summer, a volley low into the net in the 57th minute after a cross from right-back Gotoku Sakai glanced off the head of Yoshinori Muto at Noevir Stadium.... " The team really needed the three points and I'm really glad to have got the result," Osa

Leo Ceara( C) of Yokohama F Marinos is congratulated by his teammates after opening the scoring with the first of his three goals in a 5-0 win over Vegalta Sendai in Yokohama in the J-League first division on Aug.... Despite seeing manager Ange Postecoglou leave for Celtic to be replaced by fellow Australian Kevin Muscat, F Marinos extended their unbeaten run to 12 games with Leo Ceara continuing his fine form following a brace in their last game.... Marcos Junior returned the favor three minu

Tokushima Vortis players look dejected after allowing a second goal during the first half of a J-League football match against Sanfrecce Hiroshima at Pocari Sweat Stadium in Naruto, Tokushima Prefecture, on Dec.... Their defeat ensured they would join the already-relegated Oita Trinita, Vegalta Sendai and Yokohama FC in the J2 next year.... Promoted Tokushima needed both a victory and for Shimizu to lose to avoid going straight back down....