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[ODDS and EVENS] FC Machida Zelvia Excelling in Debut Season in the J.League's Top Flight

Riding a three-match winning streak, FC Machida Zelvia, guided by former ultra-successful high school coach Go Kuroda, have ascended to first place in J1.

Published

1 month ago

March 21, 2024

Ed Odeven

FC Machida Zelvia's Yu Hirakawa spearheads the team's second-half attack against the Kashima Antlers on March 9, 2024, at Machida GION Stadium in Machida, Tokyo Prefecture. (KYODO)

Read the full story on SportsLook - [ODDS and EVENS] FC Machida Zelvia Excelling in Debut Season in the J.League's Top Flight

In the first four weeks of the 2024 J.League season, there was no bigger story than FC Machida Zelvia.

After winning the J.League second-division title, aka J2, in October 2023, the Tokyo Prefecture-based squad earned a spot in the top flight for the first time in franchise history.

What third-year manager Go Kuroda's club accomplished in its first four matches was a big, bold declaration that it has every intention of being the opposite of a pushover in every match this season.

By beating Hokkaido Consadole Sapporo 2-1 on March 16, with forward Shota Fujio and defender Ibrahim Dresevic notching goals in the second half at Sapporo Dome, Zelvia climbed into first place in J1. In doing so, Zelvia became the first side in the 20-team circuit with three victories this season.

Who's right below them in the standings? Sanfrecce Hiroshima and Cerezo Osaka, both of whom have two wins and two ties, with eight points apiece.

A Super Start for FC Machida Zelvia

Zelvia, who debuted in the fourth tier of this nation's soccer hierarchy in the Japan Football League in 2009, previously earned wins over Nagoya Grampus (1-0 on March 2) and the Kashima Antlers (1-0 on March 9. Kuroda's squad opened the campaign with a 1-1 draw against Gamba Osaka on February 24 at Machida GION Stadium.

"We are still newcomers, and we should not feel that we can do this," Kuroda was quoted as saying by Sports Hochi after the team's triumph over Consadole, referring to instant success in J1.

Each season is a new entity in and of itself, but franchises with a track record of success and well-established leadership in upper management provide important measuring sticks for newly promoted clubs each year.

What's more, in the first 31 seasons of the J.League's existence through 2023, the Antlers (eight titles), Gamba (two) and Grampus (one) have been among its premier franchises.

So, in my view, you can't dismiss Zelvia's draw with Gamba and consecutive victories over Nagoya and Kashima as merely luck.

Coaching Rarity: From High School to the Pros

Moreover, there are clearly visible footprints in the metaphorical sand showing Zelvia's path to success.

It began with the hiring of former Aomori Yamada High School head coach Kuroda to replace Serbian mentor Ranko Popovic after Zelvia finished in 15th place out of 22 teams in J2 in 2022.

Kuroda was a prolific winner at Aomori Yamada (1995-2022), guiding his team to 26 straight trips to the All Japan High School Soccer Tournament. That remarkable run included three national titles in a five-year span, with Aomori Yamada reaching the top for the final time under Kuroda in his last season at the school.

Then, he decided, it was time for a new challenge.

And Kuroda proved to be the right man at the right time for FC Machida Zelvia.

Continue reading the full story on SportsLook.

Author: Ed Odeven

Find Ed on JAPAN Forward's dedicated website, SportsLook. Follow his [Japan Sports Notebook] on Sundays, [Odds and Evens] during the week, and X (formerly Twitter) ＠ed_odeven.