Asian Roundup

Jubilo Iwata extends J-League lead

TOKYO (Reuters) -- Substitute Norihiro Nishi netted a superb extra-time winner as Jubilo Iwata beat Kashiwa Reysol 3-2 to go four points clear at the top of the J-League on Sunday.

Iwata, who won the first-stage title, could become the first team to win both stages in a J-League season if they win at Kyoto on Saturday and other results go their way next weekend.

Jubilo currently have 27 points from 12 second-stage games, with champions Kashima Antlers on 23 and three matches of the season remaining.

Jubilo paid for a jittery start at Iwata Stadium when midfielder Keiji Tamada put Reysol in front in the 16th minute with a fine solo goal.

But Japan striker Naohiro Takahara equalized for Iwata in the 25th minute and then added a second goal four minutes before halftime to take his total for the season to a league-best 24.

Just when Iwata thought they had done enough to take three points, defender Go Oiwa dived in on Edilson and the Brazil striker converted from the penalty spot in the 85th minute to force extra time.

That setback brought a rousing response from Jubilo. Six minutes into extra time, defender Toshihiro Hattori picked out Nishi with a raking pass and the substitute beat goalkeeper Yuta Minami with a clinical strike from 20 meters.

A victory in extra time is worth two points under J-League rules.

Kyoto Purple Sanga came from a goal down to win 2-1 at struggling Vegalta Sendai thanks to a 76th-minute effort from striker Teruaki Kurobe.

Singapore beats Indonesia in friendly

SINGAPORE (AP) -- Singapore beat Indonesia in a penalty kick shootout after their soccer friendly ended in a 1-1 draw Sunday.

Hours of rain before the game left the grass pitch of Singapore's National Stadium slippery with mud that kept both sides from playing their best, said Jan Poulsen, the Danish coach of the Singapore team, and Indonesia's coach Ivan Kolev, recently recruited from Bulgaria.

Kolev had hoped to use the match to help pick the final Indonesian squad for the Tiger Cup scheduled for Dec. 15-29. The two countries will jointly host the biennial competition this year.

The wet field meant poor footing and sloppy passes for both teams. But Indonesia was the faster of the two sides and kept possession of the ball through most of the match.

Singapore's first goal came off a header from striker Fadzuhasny Juraimi in the 37th minute. Indonesia responded in the 67th minute with its own goal, headed in by midfielder Imran Nahumarury.

In the penalty kick shootout, Singapore Lions goalie Rezal Hassan prevented two out of five Indonesian shots, breaking the 1-1 draw, and leading the home team to victory.

"They just got luckier than us," said Indonesian striker Bambang Pamungkas at a press conference following the match.

The Indonesian team heads to Australia next for 21 days of friendlies against Division One teams down under before the Tiger Cup.

 

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The Associated Press contributed to this report.