J-Talk: Extra Time

Attendance at a 100% windy, 25% snowy PriFoods Stadium for Hachinohe 1-1 Yokohama FC (2-4 on PKs) in the J2/J3 100 Year Vision League: a not-too-shabby 2, 785.

It really felt like winter, & the stadium is brutally exposed to the elements! #JLeague

Bring your big coat!

Would like to get up there in 26/27 for the Blaublitz away game. Hopefully the date is a decent one and I can make it.

I strongly recommend catching a game at PriFoods Stadium if you get the chance.

Access is not the best & it feels like it might be windy most of the time due to the terrain, but the locals are friendly & the sightlines to the pitch are good!

Just as we were losing hope, Adailton came off the bench to flick in Ryo Kubota’s driven cross-shot in the 82nd minute, forcing a PK shootout.

Much hilarity was generated by the scoreboard, which displayed a graphic with kicks from 0-9 for the shootout!

At this point, Ichikawa earned us 2 points.

Although the weather, strong wind with some snow flurries & sunshine seemingly at random, was a problem for both sides, there was plenty of effort on show.

Ichikawa kept us in the game with a great save on the hour, blocking a shot from Daisuke Inazumi (one of several home players who impressed).

In typical Yokohama FC fashion, we were caught out by the conditions early on, & scored (yet another) calamitous own goal in the 4th minute.

Rookie CB Hayato Sugita tired to head clear, but only succeeded in nodding the ball past outrushing GK Ichikawa & into the empty net.

Words failed me here.

Upon arrival at the ground (by impressively expensive taxi from Misawa Airport), it was immediately evident that the strong winds would probably have a big influence on the game. This was the only game I’ve been to where the wind speed was announced before KO (10 m/s, which went up to 11 m/s later).

After a windswept & bitterly cold 90 minutes of attritional football at PriFoods Stadium, it was delightful to see Yokohama FC triumph 4-2 in a PK shoot-out against hosts Hachinohe.

GK Akinori Ichikawa was the man of the match, saving 2 penalties in the shoot-out. All 4 of our PKs were perfect!

Wordle 1,725 2/6

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⚽ On the ball - 08/03/2026

I guessed the player in 1 guess
Score: 65
Top 42% of players today

See if you can beat me!

2026 MEIJI YASUDA J2/J3 100 YEAR VISION LEAGUE

ROUND 5

DEUS EN COMANDO

Really got to try to get to the Blaublitz away game there in 26/27! 🤩

A fun day at Mitsuzawa: no Yokohama FC game to get stressed about, & we did the stadium tour - playing on the grass was great!

⚽ On the ball - 07/03/2026

I guessed the player in 3 guesses
Score: 46
Top 32% of players today

See if you can beat me!

I just listened on the train home, this comes highly recommended!

NEW POD RELEASE (GENERAL)

Just in time for this weekend’s fixtures, a new JTET episode is now available on the free @jtalkpod.bsky.social PodBean feed!

Under the microscope this week are Reilac Shiga in the West, & Fujieda MYFC in the East! jtalkpod.podbean.com/e/j-talk-ext... #JLeague

NEW POD RELEASE (GENERAL)

Just in time for this weekend’s fixtures, a new JTET episode is now available on the free @jtalkpod.bsky.social PodBean feed!

Under the microscope this week are Reilac Shiga in the West, & Fujieda MYFC in the East! jtalkpod.podbean.com/e/j-talk-ext... #JLeague

⚽ On the ball - 06/03/2026

I guessed the player in 1 guess
Score: 65
Top 29% of players today

See if you can beat me!

NEW POD RELEASE (PATREON)

This week’s full-frontal JTET is now live for @jtalkpod Patrons!

In this episode, James takes a look at how Shiga are settling into #JLeague life in the West region.

Meanwhile, Jon rambles on about Tomoaki Makino’s Fujieda picking up another win in the East section.

NEW POD RELEASE (PATREON)

This week’s full-frontal JTET is now live for @jtalkpod Patrons!

In this episode, James takes a look at how Shiga are settling into #JLeague life in the West region.

Meanwhile, Jon rambles on about Tomoaki Makino’s Fujieda picking up another win in the East section.

⚽ On the ball - 05/03/2026

I guessed the player in 1 guess
Score: 65
Top 53% of players today

See if you can beat me!

⚽ On the ball - 03/03/2026

I guessed the player in 2 guesses
Score: 53
Top 63% of players today

See if you can beat me!

⚽ On the ball - 02/03/2026

I guessed the player in 1 guess
Score: 50
Top 42% of players today

See if you can beat me!

⚽ On the ball - 28/02/2026

I guessed the player in 1 guess
Score: 50
Top 32% of players today

See if you can beat me!

🎬 Film reveal - 27/02/2026

Score: 94
Top 61% of players today

See if you can beat me!

⚽ On the ball - 27/02/2026

I guessed the player in 2 guesses
Score: 48
Top 44% of players today

See if you can beat me!

NEW POD RELEASE (GENERAL)

This week’s full-strength JTET episode is now live on the free @jtalkpod.bsky.social PodBean feed!

This time, James & Jon look back on Round 3 of the J2/J3 100 Year Vision League. Yokohama FC & Kanazawa are the focus! jtalkpod.podbean.com/e/j-talk-ext... #JLeague

NEW POD RELEASE (GENERAL)

This week’s full-strength JTET episode is now live on the free @jtalkpod.bsky.social PodBean feed!

This time, James & Jon look back on Round 3 of the J2/J3 100 Year Vision League. Yokohama FC & Kanazawa are the focus! jtalkpod.podbean.com/e/j-talk-ext... #JLeague

With all my heart I want to have Hannah with me in Parliament next week. She is not only the best candidate to beat Reform but just simply the best new MP you could wish for.

If you are voting today, choose Hannah, and tell everyone you meet to do the same! 💚💚💚🙏