J. League Promotion/Relegation Series
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In 2004, J. League introduced a series of two test matches called League Promotion/Relegation Series (入れ替え戦 irekae sen?) between the sixteenth-place J. Division 1 (J1) club and third-place J.league Division 2 (J2) club. The winner of this game receives the third and final ticket to J1 in the following season, with the first two going to the first- and second-place J2 teams at the end of the season.
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[edit] History
Prior to 2004, promotions and relegations involved the two bottom J1 clubs (15th place & 16th place) and two top J2 club (1st & 2nd places). At the end of the 2004 season, J1 expanded from 16 clubs to 18 clubs. Due to the expansion, the league promoted the top two teams in J2 to J1 without any relegations. The league also instituted a new playoff game that allowed the 3rd-place J2 club to challenge the 16th (and at the time, last- ) placed J1 club for a berth in J1 in the 2005 season. This was the start of this Promotion/Relegation Series. After the expansion, the league went back to their standard promotion and relegation system (17th & 18th in J1 switching places with 1st & 2nd in J2), but the Promotion/Relegation Series continued.
The irekae-sen concept is not new; it was a feature of the original Japan Soccer League, when, until 1980, it was usual that the bottom two team(s) in the First Division played off against the winner and runner-up of the All Japan Senior Football Championship and, after 1972, the Second Division's top two. After 1980 only the second-from-bottom team played against the Second Division runner-up.
[edit] Participating clubs
J2 clubs are only allowed to be promoted if they fulfill the J1 promotion criteria.
- Therefore under usual circumstances, the 16th-placed J1 Club and the 3rd-placed J2 Club (both using standings at the end of the season) will play in the series.
- In the event that the 3rd J2 club does not meet other criteria for J1 promotion, no games are played.
- If either one of the J2 champion or runner-up does not meet the J1 promotion requirements, the series is between the 17th-placed J1 Club and the 3rd-placed J2 Club.
- Should both the J2 champion and runner-up fail to meet the requirements for promotion, the series involves the 18th-placed J1 club and the 3rd-placed J2 club.
In practice, given the more stringent rules for promotion from JFL to J2, these rules can be considered a mere formality.
[edit] Competition Format
- Two 90-minute games must be played. The first game is held in the home stadium of the J2 club, and the second game takes place in the home stadium of the J1 club.
- If club are tied in aggregate score, extra time and penalty kicks will take place.
- In case of extra time, the golden goal rule was used in 2004; however, since 2005 clubs must play out whole the extra time.
- Starting in 2006, the away goals rule has been in effect.
[edit] Results
| Year | J.LEAGUE Division 1 Sixteenth Club | Score | J.LEAGUE Division 2 Third Club |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 | Kashiwa Reysol | 2 - 0 2 - 0 4 - 0 agg. |
Avispa Fukuoka |
| 2005 | Kashiwa Reysol | 1 - 2 2 - 6 3 - 8 agg. |
Ventforet Kofu |
| 2006 | Avispa Fukuoka | 0 - 0 1 - 1 1 - 1 agg. |
Vissel Kobe † |
| 2007 | Sanfrecce Hiroshima | 1 - 2 0 - 0 1 - 2 agg. |
Kyoto Sanga |
† Won with the away goals rule
[edit] 2004
In the first year of this series, Kashiwa easily held their position in J1 by defeating Fukuoka in the series with aggregate score of 4-0.
| December 4, 2004 13:03 |
Avispa Fukuoka | 0 - 2 | Kashiwa Reysol | Hakata no Mori, Fukuoka Attendance: 20,522 Referee: Toshimitsu Yoshida |
| Official Report | 47' Hurutaka Ōno 89' Tatsuya Yazawa |
| December 12, 2004 15:04 |
Kashiwa Reysol | 2 - 0 | Avispa Fukuoka | Kashiwa Soccer Stadium, Kashiwa Attendance: 13,149 Referee: Joji Kashihara |
| Yuji Unozawa 57' Yasuhiro Hato 61' |
Official Report |
[edit] 2005
In the years prior to 2005, Ventforet Kofu were facing extinction due to losing money running into hundreds of million yen. Having finished bottom of J2 for three season in a row, in 2002 the club hired Kazuyuki Umino as the president who was able to turn the club around. The club started to make profit, attendance increased, and the club's performance improved each year. Finally, after defeating the J2 champions Kyoto Purple Sanga on the final matchday of 2005, they managed to finish in third place.
Kashiwa Reysol on the other hand, finished 16th and had to play this series for two season in a row. Many believe Kashiwa under-estimated this series as they easily defeated Avispa Fukuoka last year.
The irony was that on December 7, 1968, exactly 37 years ago, Venforet Kofu's former club, the Kofu Club, played and lost in Promotion/Relegation Series (JSL1 & JSL2) against the Hitachi Club (Kashiwa Reysol's formal team).
In the final minutes in the first leg, the Kose Sports Stadium blacked outed and the game was stopped. The lights came back after 20-30 minutes. Also, In the second leg of this series, Bare had managed to score double-hat-trick (6 goals), which is a record for any J.League competitions.
Go to J. League - 2005
| December 7, 2005 19:04 |
Ventforet Kofu | 2 - 1 | Kashiwa Reysol | Kose Sports Stadium, Kofu Attendance: 12,372 Referee: Joji Kashihara |
| Kazuki Kuranuki 25' Bare 48' |
Official Report | 11' Reinaldo da Cruz Oliveira |
| December 10, 2005 15:04 |
Kashiwa Reysol | 2 - 6 | Ventforet Kofu | Kashiwa Soccer Stadium, Kashiwa Attendance: 12,013 Referee: Masayoshi Okada |
| Reinaldo da Cruz Oliveira 52' Yuji Unozawa 86' |
Official Report | 10' Bare 27' Bare 53' Bare 68' Bare 69' Bare 87' Bare |
[edit] 2006
From matchday 28 it was clear that the relegation battle was limited to three clubs; Kyoto Purple Sanga, Cerezo Osaka, and Avispa Fukuoka. All other clubs officially passed the relegation line by matchday 32. Kyoto were relegated on the penultimate week of the season. Gpoing into the final week, Cerezo Osaka (16th) were one point head of Fukuoka (17th). Osaka lost as Fukuoka drew, meaning they finished level on points. However, Avispa clinched the 16th place on account of their superior goal difference of -24 as opposed to Cerezo's of -26.
The same situation was occurring in the J2 promotion race, with three clubs, Yokohama F.C., Kashiwa Reysol, and Vissel Kobe way ahead of other clubs, but only two automatic promotion sports available. In the penultimate week of the season, Yokohama clinched the championship and promotion. Heading into the final matchday, Kobe sat in 2nd, one point ahead of Kashiwa, and it appeared that Kashiwa would have to settle for the playoff series for the third year running. However on the final day of the season, Kashiwa won and clinched the runners-up spot after Kobe fell down to third place by losing the last match.
The Series finished 1-1 on aggregate following a 0-0 draw in the first leg but Kobe won on the away goals rule and replace Fukuoka in the first division.
Go to J. League - 2006
| December 6, 2006 19:02 |
Vissel Kobe | 0 - 0 | Avispa Fukuoka | Kobe Wing Stadium, Kobe Attendance: 12,009 Referee: Joji Kashihara |
| Official Report |
| December 9, 2006 16:04 |
Avispa Fukuoka | 1 - 1 | Vissel Kobe | Hakata no Mori, Fukuoka Attendance: 13,102 Referee: Yuichi Nishimura |
| Takanori Nunobe 84' | Official Report | 60' Yusuke Kondo |
[edit] 2007
In 2007, Kyoto Sanga FC defeated Sanfrecce Hiroshima 2-1 on aggregate to clinch a spot in J1 for the 2008 season. Hiroshima are relegated to J2 for the first since 2003.
Go to J. League - 2007
| December 5, 2007 19:04 |
Kyoto Sanga | 2 - 1 | Sanfrecce Hiroshima | Nishikyogoku Athletic Stadium, Kyoto Attendance: 12,637 Referee: Masayoshi Okada |
| Yutaka Tahara 28' Yutaka Tahara 39' |
Report | 88' Ryuichi Hirashige |
| December 8, 2007 16:04 |
Sanfrecce Hiroshima | 0 - 0 | Kyoto Sanga | Hiroshima Big Arch, Hiroshima Attendance: 23,162 Referee: Yuichi Nishimura |
| Report |
[edit] External links
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