I've been recording Consadole Sapporo's scores since the Japanese soccer season began in March, but now that Greenock Morton are finished for 2012-13, it's time to look at the Hokkaido club in more detail.
Consadole compete in the J League Division 2 after being relegated from Division 1 at the end of last season. The name Consadole is possibly the most ingenius and nutty portmanteau of Japanese soccer, combining an anagram of the Japanese name for the people of Hokkaido, Dosanko, with the Spanish cheer Ole. The club started in 1935 as a Toshiba company team in Kawasaki, Kanagawa Prefecture, but moved to Sapporo in 1996. They have been up in Division 1 twice, but have never won any of the big trophies. They play in the 41,484-seat Sapporo Dome, which they share with baseball franchise Nippon Ham Fighters of the Pacific League. They wear red and black stripes.
Last year in Division 1 they earned only 14 points, the worst finish ever in that league. Read an analysis here.
So far this season they've played 14 games, won six, drawn one, and lost seven, for 19 points and 12th place out of 22. The team is made up entirely of Japanese players, except for two South Koreans and two Brazilians, Paulao and Telê.
Today they host Tokyo Verdy. [FT: 1 - 1.]
The SFL playoffs finish today. Dunfermline and Alloa are playing the second leg of their home-and-home series to see who will make it to the First Division 2013-14. Alloa won the first leg 3 - 0 Wednesday. A few weeks ago I made the case for Dunfermline spending a year in the Second Division. But of course it could be more, because Rangers are most likely to win that division next. Dunfermline might be facing a wander through the lower leagues like Morton's of 2001 to 2007. [Dunfermline win the game 1 - 0, but lose on aggregate and are relegated. Alloa will play in the First Division.]
Chelsea won the Europa League Final Wednesday. This being soccer, the 2013-14 Europa League begins in little over a month. I'll follow the Icelandic and Scottish clubs as far as they can get.
Tomorrow ÍBV host Iceland's oldest football club, and present-day league leaders, KR, which is short for Knattspyrnufélag Reykjavíkur. At the moment ÍBV are tied for second place with Fimleikafélag Hafnarfjarðar. On Thursday ÍBV visited FH and played to a 1 - 1 draw. [ÍBV 0 - 2 KR.]