Hiroshima heartache

How on earth were Sanfrecce Hiroshima relegated? How did a team that contains two current Japan internationals, three current Japan under-22 internationals, a host of former Japan internationals, former Korean and Bulgarian internationals and the highest scoring foreign player in J-League history... end up in J2?

Big teams have been relegated in the J-League before. In 2006 Cerezo Osaka went from losing out on the J-League title in stoppage time the previous season, to the indignation of relegation just twelve months later. Tokyo Verdy went down the season before. But in both cases Cerezo and Verdy struggled throughout the entire season. Yet Sanfrecce Hiroshima never really looked in danger of going down in 2007, until the penultimate round of the season.

It was only at the end of Round 33 that it became obvious Sanfrecce Hiroshima would have to fight their way out of trouble in a promotion/relegation playoff. That's because Leandro's wonder-goal in stoppage time at Ajinomoto Stadium propelled Omiya Ardija to a 2-1 win over FC Tokyo and subsequent safety. At the same time Hiroshima were thumped 3-0 by Kawasaki Frontale at Todoroki Stadium, practically condemning them to the playoff against the third-placed finisher in J2.

Even so, few expected Hiroshima to have too many problems in seeing off a Kyoto Sanga FC side that had finished dead last in the First Division a season earlier. Kyoto had mustered a late season surge to finish in third place in J2, and their good form continued in a 2-1 win over Hiroshima at Nishikyogoku Stadium in the first leg of the playoff. Despite copping an absolute battering at Big Arch Stadium, Kyoto somehow hung on to record a 0-0 draw, with Sanfrecce substitute Ryuichi Hirashige incredibly hitting the post with a bicycle kick in stoppage time that would have kept Hiroshima in the top flight!

Predictably, most have pointed the finger at Hiroshima's Austrian coach Mihailo Petrovic for the team's failure. Yet perhaps Hiroshima have also learned the value of vocal supporters. While JEF United struggled throughout 2007, they always looked capable of retaining their top flight status when playing in front of their vociferous fans at the Fukuda Denshi Arena. Hiroshima, meanwhile, played out of the eternally-maligned Big Arch Stadium - a concrete colosseum on the outskirts of town that holds over 50,000, but which often struggles to attack even five figure crowds in J1.

Hiroshima will have no such worries next season. They'll be plying their trade against the likes of Tokushima Vortis and Mito Hollyhock - hardly giants of world football, no disrespect intended. Star striker Hisato Sato has already declared his intentions to try and fire Hiroshima to their second promotion in five years, after the Mazda-backed club were also relegated at the end of the 2003 season. Whether new Japan coach Takeshi Okada looks favourably on Sato's decision remains to be seen - Sato was overlooked for Okada's first 33-man training squad.

Hiroshima have been in this position before. But like Tokyo Verdy and Cerezo Osaka before them, they might find promotion from J2 as difficult a prospect as maintaining their place in the top flight.