Cong Phuong's team was relegated

Japan's Yokohama FC was relegated from J-League 1 after losing 1-2 to Kashima Antlers in the final round this afternoon, December 3.

Yokohama FC could not stay in J-League 1 after only one season of promotion. Photo: Yokohama FC

Before round 34, Yokohama was at the bottom with 29 points, three points behind the team above Kashiwa Reysol, with a goal difference of 12 goals. Yokohama's chances of staying in the league were extremely slim when they had to win big against the top team Kashima Antlers, while Kashiwa Reysol lost big against Nagoya Grampus.

Yokohama was determined to win so that even if they did not stay in the league, they could still create a gift of gratitude to their fans. At Kahshima Stadium, coach Shuhei Yomoda and his team were not too far behind when they controlled the ball 51% of the time, launched 14 shots with three on target compared to their opponents' 19 shots and eight on target. However, the home team took advantage of their opportunities better.

Yokohama got a consolation goal in the 63rd minute thanks to Mauricio Caprini, with a beautiful left-footed volley from about 28 meters from the goal. The subsequent efforts were not enough to save the team from their 19th defeat – the most in the league, after 34 rounds.

Yokohama is the only team in J-League 1 in 2023. The champion is Vissel Kobe with 71 points. From next season, the league will expand from 18 to 20 teams permanently, so there will be only one relegation spot in 2023, and there will be three J-League 2 teams promoted next season.

This is the third time in Yokohama FC's history that it has been relegated from J-League 1 since its inception in 1998. The previous two times were in 2007 and 2021. The team only stayed in the league once in the 2020 season and has only played in Japan's top flight four seasons so far.

Vietnamese striker Nguyen Cong Phuong (right) returns to J-League 2 for the second time. Photo: Yokohama FC

After 34 matches, striker Nguyen Cong Phuong has not been registered by the club to play once. He has only been registered twice in the J-League Cup, once coming off the bench in the second half of the 2-3 loss to Nagoya Grampus on April 5. At the end of the season, the striker born in 1995 could not complete the goal of playing 25 matches for Yokohama.

Cong Phuong's situation contrasts with two other Southeast Asian players playing in J-League 1, both from Thailand. Supachok Sarachat played 24 matches, scoring seven and assisting one for 12th-placed Consadole Sapporo. The 25-year-old striker played 1,175 minutes out of a possible 3,060. The other player is midfielder Ekanit Panya, 24, who played five matches and 186 minutes for third-placed Urawa Red Diamonds.

Cong Phuong has two years left on his contract with Yokohama FC and will play in J-League 2 for the second time. Previously, he played for Mito Hollyhock for one season in 2016.

Hieu Luong

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