J.League Opening Round: Aussie Stars Shine, Controversy Strikes, and Kawasaki Dominates
The 2025 J.League season kicked off with an exciting derby. Aussie player Arthur Papas really stood out, helping Cerezo Osaka secure a big win against Gamba Osaka. In another match, the defending champs, Vissel Kobe, had to settle for a frustrating draw after a confusing handball call. Meanwhile, Kawasaki Frontale showed their skills by crushing Nagoya Grampus at home. Crazy Handball Call Sparks Controversy.
ICYMT: The Red Devils’ Departed Stars
Cerezo Osaka Impresses in Osaka Derby
Arthur Papas had a tough first game with Cerezo Osaka. They faced Gamba Osaka in an intense derby. But Papas and his team shone bright, winning 5-2. They were unstoppable in the second half, scoring four goals. Sota Kitano scored two goals, including the first one just seven minutes in. Veteran Shinji Kagawa also found the net. Gamba Osaka tried to battle back with goals from Neta Lavi and Keisuke Kurokawa, but it wasn’t enough. With this win, Cerezo Osaka has now won 10 of their last 12 derbies.
Bizarre Handball Call Causes Drama
In a different match, Vissel Kobe faced Urawa Red Diamonds. The match ended 0-0, but that wasn’t the big story. A strange handball incident had everyone talking. With just ten minutes left, Urawa thought they had scored after a messy sequence. The ball hit Kobe’s goalie, Daiya Maekawa, then bounced off his teammate, Matheus Thuler, into the net via Taishi Matsumoto. After checking VAR, they found Matsumoto had handled the ball, so the goal was canceled. Urawa finished the game upset with the result.
Kawasaki Frontale Dominates Nagoya
Nagoya Grampus, missing their Australian goalkeeper Mitch Langerak, faced a rough start. They lost 4-0 to Kawasaki Frontale. Even though both teams were close last season, Kawasaki pulled ahead in the second half with four goals. The standout moment was when substitute Hinata Yamaguchi, after scoring, delivered a great cross to Ten Miyagi. Miyagi flicked the ball into the corner beautifully. Kawasaki Frontale sits at the top of the standings after this round and hopes to keep it up.
Full Round One Results
Here are the results from the opening round of the 2025 J.League season:
- Gamba Osaka 2-5 Cerezo Osaka
- Vissel Kobe 0-0 Urawa Red Diamonds
- Yokohama F. Marinos 1-1 Albirex Niigata
- Yokohama FC 0-1 FC Tokyo
- Avispa Fukuoka 0-1 Kashiwa Reysol
- Fagiano Okayama 2-0 Kyoto Sanga
- Kawasaki Frontale 4-0 Nagoya Grampus
- Shonan Bellmare 1-0 Kashima Antlers
- Machida Zelvia 1-2 Sanfrecce Hiroshima
- Tokyo Verdy 0-1 Shimizu S-Pulse
Fans in Australia can catch four of these games live on Optus Sport. It looks like this season will be full of excitement! Crazy Handball Call Sparks Controversy.
