Japan international striker Shinzo Koroki led the Kashima Antlers to their first home win since the March 11 earthquake hit their town, beating Jubilo Iwata 2-0 in J-League football on Saturday. Koroki knocked back a rebound from close range after another shot off a right corner hit him at the goal mouth to open the scoring in the sixth minute.
Fellow forward Yuzo Tashiro added another in the 64th minute when his shot on a cross from Yasushi Endo flew over goalkeeper Yoshikatsu Kawaguchi. "We were two forwards today with Yuzo. Previously we couldn't score, so I really wanted to score with him today. The ball came to me and I just hit the ball," said Koroki.
"I'm glad, because I really wanted to score today," he added. Kashima had to move their home games to Tokyo's national stadium after the massive 9.0 earthquake. Kashiwa Reysol kept their spot at the top of the J-League with 25 points after their 2-0 win over bottom placed Avispa Fukuoka.
They are followed by Vegalta Sendai on 21 points, Kawasaki Frontale on 20, Sanfrecce Hiroshima on 19 and Yokohama Marinos with 18. Sendai, also hit by the quake and the monster tsunami it triggered, remain unbeaten this season in 11 games as Naoki Sugai struck home an equaliser five minutes into injury time to draw with Albirex Niigata 1-1.