Kyoto Sanga Soccer Update April 2014

京都サンガ２０１４年

Sanga broke our hearts last fall, for the umpteenth time.

For the second year in a row, the J2 team finished in third place in the regular season.

Kyoto did not make it to J2 - the top two teams gain promotion to the J1 - thus, we are grinding away once again in J2.

In the past there was a distinct class system to the two leagues: big city teams were in J1, smaller city or rural teams in J2.

No longer.

Kyoto is now in J2 with Sapporo, Jubilo Iwata, Fukuoka, Tokyo Verdy, Yokohama FC, and JEF United.

After six matches, Kyoto is tied for third place - one position outside the automatic promotion zone - with 11 points (three other teams also have 11 points but a smaller difference in goals scored versus scored against). The team has won three times, including this past weekend. Shonan is in first place, Jubilo in second.

It's a long season, it's a long season.


Ticket Information (in Japanese)

Cycling for home games at Nishikyogoku is a flat and easy 20 minutes from central Kyoto and parking is free and readily available.

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Kyoto Sanga 2013 Season Update

京都サンガ２０１３年シーズン終了

Sanga broke our hearts again.

For the second year in a row, the J2 team finished in third place in the regular season.

The top two teams - this year Gamba Osaka and Vissel Kobe - automatically qualify for promotion to J1. The four teams that finish in third, fourth, fifth and sixth place enter a playoff for the final spot in J1.

Kyoto tied in its first match, against sixth place Nagasaki, and thus "won" and proceeded to the final game against the winner of the match between the fourth and fifth place teams.

On Sunday, at the National Stadium in Tokyo, all Kyoto had to do to earn promotion was not lose.

Tokushima scored two first half goals, and that was more than enough.

Kyoto dominated the entire match - shots on goal (Kyoto 13, Tokushima 4), corner kicks (Kyoto 11, Tokushima 4), and ball possession - but could not score.

And thus we are back in lowly J2 for yet another year.


Ticket Information (in Japanese)

Cycling for home games at Nishikyogoku is a flat and easy 20 minutes from central Kyoto and parking is free and readily available.

Up to 40% off Best Selling Bike Brands


View Cycling to Kyoto Nishi Kyogoku Stadium in a larger map


Asics running shoes, now up to 40% off!



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Kyoto Sanga Update October 2013

京都サンガ２０１３年１０月

In a cold driving rain on Sunday, Sanga faced one of the worst teams in the second division of the J.League in the 36th week of the season.

Sanga defeated Gunma 3-2 and remains in third place with 66 points with six matches left in the season. First place Kobe Vissel has 75 and is followed by Gamba Osaka with 74.

The top two teams win automatic promotion to the first division. The next four teams in the table - #3 - #6 - play a two game home-away playoff and one of those teams will go up to J1.

Of the remaining six matches, one is against league-leader Kobe and another is against Gamba.

Next week Sanga plays at home Sapporo, which is fighting to get into the top six.

Ticket Information (in Japanese)

Cycling for home games at Nishikyogoku is a flat and easy 20 minutes from central Kyoto and parking is free and readily available.

Up to 40% off Best Selling Bike Brands


View Cycling to Kyoto Nishi Kyogoku Stadium in a larger map


Asics running shoes, now up to 40% off!



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Kyoto Sanga September 2013 Update

京都サンガ２０１３年

We are now in the home stretch of the J.League season. In the second division, where Kyoto Sanga plays, just eight matches remain in the regular season.

Sanga won on Sunday against Toyama 3-2 and is is in third place. Three teams in J2 have a chance at promotion next season to the top division.

The top two teams - Gamba Osaka and Kobe Vissel - win automatic promotion. The next four teams in the table - #3 - #6 - play a two game home-away playoff and one of those teams will go up to J1.

Of the remaining eight matches, one is against league-leader Osaka Gamba and another is against second place Kobe Vissel.

Next week Sanga plays at home against 4th place Nagasaki.

Ticket Information (in Japanese)

Cycling for home games at Nishikyogoku is a flat and easy 20 minutes from central Kyoto and parking is free and readily available.


View Cycling to Kyoto Nishi Kyogoku Stadium in a larger map


Asics running shoes, now up to 40% off!



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Kyoto Sanga August 2013 Update

京都サンガ２０１３年

Kyoto Sanga lost 2-0 today to also ran Ehime, which is in 17th place. Kyoto, in spite of the loss, remains mired in 4th place.

With 14 games remaining in the season, three of the four top places in J2 are held by Kansai teams: Gamba Osaka in first place, Kobe Vissel in second, and in fourth place Kyoto. (JEF United in Chiba is in third place.)

Of those three have a chance at promotion next season to J1.

Next week Sanga travels to Yokohama.

Please, please, please score and win and make us happy.

Ticket Information (in Japanese)

Cycling for home games at Nishikyogoku is a flat and easy 20 minutes from central Kyoto and parking is free and readily available.


View Cycling to Kyoto Nishi Kyogoku Stadium in a larger map


Asics running shoes, now up to 40% off!



© CycleKyoto.com

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Kyoto Sanga Soccer Update

京都サンガ２０１３年

Kyoto Sanga is the main professional sports team in Japan's seventh largest city (there is a women's baseball team and a men's basketball team; neither however has much traction outside of a small cadre of hardcore fans).

Now in fourth place in the J2 table after 18 matches, things look a bit better than they did a month ago.

Sanga thrashed 15th place Kumamoto 3-1 last night, and are thus eight points behind league-leader Gamba Osaka.

The next home match is this Saturday, at 7 pm, against FC Ehime.

Ticket Information (in Japanese)

Cycling is a flat and easy 20 minutes from central Kyoto and parking is free and readily available.


View Cycling to Kyoto Nishi Kyogoku Stadium in a larger map

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Kyoto Sanga Struggling Early in 2013 Season

京都サンガ２０１３年

We grew up following the Philadelphia Phillies, so in spite of their World Series win in 1980 and the glory years of the aughts, we still have a strongly cynical native-born sense that doom is just around the corner, that the Phils will lose somehow, that they will screw up at the least opportune moment.

Now, many years later, that sense of doom has expanded from the Phils - whom we follow online from afar - to include the local soccer club, Kyoto Sanga.

For a city of 1.5 million people that has just one big-time pro sports franchise, is blessed with major industry with deep pockets (Nintendo, Kyocera, Wacoal, Murata, Omron, Rohm, Nidec, KBS, Sagawa Express, and Shimadzu are all based in Kyoto), and a loyal and expanding fan base, Kyoto Sanga sucks!

Apologies but that is how a true Philadelphian would sum it up, and alas it is true.

How is that Fukuoka, Hiroshima, Kobe, Sendai, and Sapporo - all cities about the same size as Kyoto - can support multiple sports teams at the top level with fewer major corporations?

Now in ninth place in the J2 table after six matches, things don't look good. But they never do.

We will keep you, the faithful, the suffering, the disappointed, updated throughout the season as Sanga attempts to gain promotion to the first division of the J.League.

Cycling is a flat 20 minutes from central Kyoto and parking is free.


View Cycling to Kyoto Nishi Kyogoku Stadium in a larger map

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