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Jubilo jubilant Iwata clinch J-League first stage championship
TOKYO (AP) - Forward Naohiro Takahara scored a sudden-death goal Saturday that gave Jubilo Iwata a 2-1 triumph over Yokohama F. Marinos and the first-stage title in the 16-team J-League. Iwata has accumulated 33 points with two games left to play in the 15-game first stage, compared to second place JEF United Ichihara's 24. Go Oiwa put Iwata ahead in the 31st minute as he headed in a corner from Hiroshi Nanami. Iwata's Takahiro Yamanishi deflected a cross from Akihiro Endo past his own goalkeeper Van Zwam six minutes from time, sending the game into extra time. Takahara blasted a cross from Toshiya Fujita into the net past goalie Yoshikatsu Kawaguchi 11 minutes into the extra period. Ichihara, the only other team which could have caught up with Iwata, had its slim title hopes disappear after failing to win in the regulation 90 minutes over Consadole Sapporo. Hiroyasu Ibata, however, clinched a 3-2 extra-time victory.
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