SOCCER Atsuto Uchida scored a freak late goal as Japan beat Bahrain 1-0 to clinch Asian Group 2 in their final third-round qualifier for the 2010 World Cup on Sunday. [KYODO]

SOCCER Yuji Nakazawa has told Japan to go out and “batter” Bahrain as Takeshi Okada’s men seek to wrap up the third round of 2010 World Cup qualifiers as winners of Asian Group 2 this weekend. [KYODO]

SOCCER Second-division Sanfrecce Hiroshima won the Xerox Super Cup after beating J-League champions Kashima Antlers 4-3 on penalties in a match marred by controversial refereeing and a pitch invasion on Saturday. [KYODO]

SOCCER Brazilian forward Bare scored four goals to lead Gamba Osaka to a 6-1 win over the Houston Dynamo for the Pan-Pacific Championship in Honolulu on Saturday night. [THE CANADIAN PRESS]

SOCCER Japan brushed aside host China 3-0 to win the women’s competition at the East Asian championship on Sunday. [KYODO]

SOCCER Midfielder Naoya Kikuchi, who was released by J-League club Jubilo Iwata last summer after being arrested for having sex with a 15-year-old girl, has signed for German second-division club FC Carl Zeiss Jena. [KYODO]

SOCCER Former Japan coach Ivica Osim has been recovering steadily from a stroke he suffered last November and could be released from a hospital in late February, Japan Football Association President Saburo Kawabuchi said Wednesday. [KYODO]

SOCCER New Japan coach Takeshi Okada began the first training session for his side on Wednesday with the ambitious goal of finishing in the top three at the 2010 World Cup finals. [KYODO]

SOCCER Goalkeeper Ryota Tsuzuki went from villain to hero as Japan’s Urawa Reds beat Tunisia’s Etoile Sahel 4-2 in a penalty shootout to finish third at the Club World Cup on Sunday. [KYODO]

SOCCER Urawa Reds defender Marcus Tulio Tanaka will be sidelined for three to four weeks because of a hamstring injury and miss Sunday’s Club World Cup match, soccer officials said Saturday. [KYODO]

SOCCER Norio Sasaki is set to be promoted to head coach of the Japan women’s national team, it was learned Wednesday. [KYODO]

SOCCER Takeshi Okada, who headed Japan’s national soccer team in the 1998 World Cup in France, is set to return as manager to replace ailing Ivica Osim, Japan Football Association (JFA) officials have said. [MAINICHI]

SOCCER Former Japan national coach Takeshi Okada appears to be the prime candidate to replace current manager Ivica Osim, who is still unconscious in intensive care after suffering a serious stroke, soccer sources said Tuesday. [KYODO]

SOCCER Japan will set off on a quest to appear in its fourth consecutive World Cup finals on Feb. 6 at home against Thailand after the preliminary draw in Durban, South Africa, on Sunday. [YOMIURI]

SOCCER J-League first-division club Gamba Osaka said Saturday they have terminated the contract of Magno Alves after the Brazilian striker failed to show up for training earlier this week. [KYODO]

SOCCER The Japan Football Association will begin its search for a replacement of national team coach Ivica Osim only after obtaining his family’s consent, JFA chief Saburo Kawabuchi said Tuesday. [KYODO]

SOCCER Japan national coach Ivica Osim has gotten past the most critical stage on his way to recovery after suffering a serious stroke, Japan Football Association General Secretary Kozo Tashima said Monday. [KYODO]

SOCCER Japan national soccer coach Ivica Osim is showing signs of improvement after suffering a serious stroke, Japan Football Association General Secretary Kozo Tashima said Sunday. [KYODO]

SOCCER Shimizu S-Pulse burst Urawa Reds’ bubble and helped set up a dramatic climax to the season after holding the newly crowned kings of Asia to a 0-0 draw in the J-League on Sunday. [KYODO]

SOCCER Japan’s star players expressed shock but hope Saturday that national team coach Ivica Osim would recover after suffering a serious strike. [AFP]