Urawa clinch place in AFC Champions League

Former Asian club champions Urawa Red Diamonds secured a place in the AFC Champions League next year by beating Nagoya Grampus Eight 2-0 to finish third in the J-League standings on Saturday. Yosuke Kashiwagi headed home in the 23rd minute and Japan international defender Tomoaki Makino made it two in the 59th minute with a goal direct from a free kick. They join new J-League champions Sanfrecce Hiroshima and runners-up Vegalta Sendai in the AFC Champions League. Hiroshima sent Vissel Kobe to the second division next season with a 1-0 win as Koji Morisaki scored the only goal from a penalty in the 52nd minute, while Sendai bowed to FC Tokyo 6-2 as Brazilian Lucas and Serbian Nemanja Vucicevic scored a brace each. Meanwhile, 2008 AFC Champions League winners Gamba Osaka lost 2-1 to Jubilo Iwata to join Kobe and bottom-placed Consadole Sapporo in the second division. Elsewhere, Albirex Niigata, starting the day second-bottom, got out of the relegation zone by beating Sapporo 4-1, and Cerezo Osaka kept their place in the top division by drawing 2-2 with Kawasaki Frontale. Seven-time champions Kashima Antlers whitewashed defending champions Kashiwa Reysol 2-0, Yokohama Marinos defeated Sagan Tosu 1-0, and Shimizu S-Pulse drew 0-0 with Omiya Ardija. From : FIFA