The 32nd annual Japanese Regional Football League Competition took place from 22 November 2008 to 30 November 2008. It took place across the prefectures of Fukuoka, Kōchi, Tottori and Okinawa. It is the tournament which decided promotion to the Japan Football League for the 2009 season. As three teams were promoted from the Japan Football League to J. League Division 2, the top three teams in this competition were promoted: Machida Zelvia, V-Varen Nagasaki and Honda Lock.
Tournament outline
Preliminary round – Four groups of four teams play each other once in a round-robin tournament. The top-placed team in each group advances to the final round. In the final round, the four winners from the preliminary round play each other once in a round-robin tournament.
Three points are awarded for a win in standard time and zero for a loss. If at the end of standard time the result is a tie, a penalty shoot-out is held; the winning team is awarded 2 points and the losing team 1.
If the number of points are the same, the league position is ordered by goal difference, then the number of goals scored, and finally the result between the respective teams. If the 1st-place position cannot be decided by these factors, a playoff will be contested between the top two teams.
Venues Preliminary round Group A – Honjō Athletic Stadium, Kitakyushu city, Fukuoka prefecture Group B – Kochi Haruno Athletic Stadium, Haruno, Kōchi Prefecture Group C – Tottori Bank Bird Stadium, Tottori city, Tottori prefecture Group D – Coca-Cola West Sports Park, Tottori city, Tottori prefecture
Final Round Ishigaki Island Soccer Park Anma, Ishigaki city, Okinawa prefecture
Participating teams 9 Regional League champions Hokkaido: Norbritz Hokkaido Tohoku: Grulla Morioka Kanto: Machida Zelvia Hokushinetsu: Nagano Parceiro Tokai: Shizuoka Kansai: Banditonce Kakogawa Chugoku: Renofa Yamaguchi Shikoku: Kamatamare Sanuki Kyushu: Okinawa Kariyushi
Runner-Up from selected leagues Regional Leagues whose representative reached the final round in 2007, are eligible for a second team to represent them. This would normally be four teams, however this year there were only three. Kansai: Ain Food Chugoku: Sagawa Express Chugoku Kyushu: V-Varen Nagasaki
High performing teams in the All Japan Senior Football Championship NEC Tokin (Tohoku) (runner up) Honda Lock (Kyushu) (third place) Matsumoto Yamaga (Hokushinetsu) (fourth place) NEC Tokin were originally announced to participate, however due to poor business performances from their parent company, their entry was withdrawn and replaced by fourth place Matsumoto Yamaga.
Invited teams Tochigi Uva (Kanto) Yazaki Valente (Tokai)
Results Preliminary round Group A TeamHonda Lock311104316Banditonce Kakogawa310204315Nagano Parceiro311016605Okinawa Kariyushi3010235−22
22 November 2008 (11:00, 13:15)Nagano Parceiro 2–2PK 4–2 Honda Lock Honjō Athletic Stadium, Kitakyushu cityOkinawa Kariyushi 1–1PK 4–3 Banditonce Kakogawa Honjō Athletic Stadium, Kitakyushu city23 November 2008 (11:00, 13:15)Nagano Parceiro 2–1 Okinawa Kariyushi Honjō Athletic Stadium, Kitakyushu cityHonda Lock 0–0PK 5–4 Banditonce Kakogawa Honjō Athletic Stadium, Kitakyushu city24 November 2008 (11:00, 13:15)Nagano Parceiro 2–3 Banditonce Kakogawa Honjō Athletic Stadium, Kitakyushu cityHonda Lock 2–1 Okinawa Kariyushi Honjō Athletic Stadium, Kitakyushu city
Group B TeamV-Varen Nagasaki330007079Kamatamare Sanuki311012205Ain Food3011115−43Tochigi Uva3001214−31
22 November 2008 (11:00, 13:15)Kamatamare Sanuki 2–0 Tochigi Uva Kochi Haruno Athletic Stadium, HarunoV-Varen Nagasaki 4–0 Ain Food Kochi Haruno Athletic Stadium, Haruno23 November 2008 (11:00, 13:15)Kamatamare Sanuki 0–2 V-Varen Nagasaki Kochi Haruno Athletic Stadium, HarunoTochigi Uva 1–1PK 4–5 Ain Food Kochi Haruno Athletic Stadium, Haruno24 November 2008 (11:00, 13:15)Kamatamare Sanuki 0–0PK 4–2 Ain Food Kochi Haruno Athletic Stadium, HarunoTochigi Uva 0–1 V-Varen Nagasaki Kochi Haruno Athletic Stadium, Haruno
Group C TeamRenofa Yamaguchi321005328Matsumoto Yamaga320106427Grulla Morioka310029543Shizuoka30003210−80
22 November 2008 (11:00, 13:15)Renofa Yamaguchi 2–1 Shizuoka Tottori Bank Bird Stadium, Tottori cityGrulla Morioka 2–3 Matsumoto Yamaga Tottori Bank Bird Stadium, Tottori city23 November 2008 (11:00, 13:15)Renofa Yamaguchi 2–1 Grulla Morioka Tottori Bank Bird Stadium, Tottori cityShizuoka 1–2 Matsumoto Yamaga Tottori Bank Bird Stadium, Tottori city24 November 2008 (11:00, 13:15)Renofa Yamaguchi 1–1PK 5–3 Matsumoto Yamaga Tottori Bank Bird Stadium, Tottori cityShizuoka 0–6 Grulla Morioka Tottori Bank Bird Stadium, Tottori city
Group D TeamMachida Zelvia321009188Yazaki Valente320109367Norbritz Hokkaido3100224−23Sagawa Express Chugoku30003315−120
22 November 2008 (11:00, 13:15)Sagawa Express Chugoku 0–7 Machida Zelvia Coca-Cola West Sports Park, Tottori cityYazaki Valente 2–0 Norbritz Hokkaido Coca-Cola West Sports Park, Tottori city23 November 2008 (11:00, 13:15)Sagawa Express Chugoku 2–6 Yazaki Valente Coca-Cola West Sports Park, Tottori cityMachida Zelvia 1–0 Norbritz Hokkaido Coca-Cola West Sports Park, Tottori city24 November 2008 (11:00, 13:15)Sagawa Express Chugoku 1–2 Norbritz Hokkaido Coca-Cola West Sports Park, Tottori cityMachida Zelvia 1–1PK 6–5 Yazaki Valente Coca-Cola West Sports Park, Tottori city
Final Round TeamMachida Zelvia321004138V-Varen Nagasaki320106067Honda Lock3100237−43Renofa Yamaguchi3000305−50
28 November 2008 (11:00, 13:15)Honda Lock 0–5 V-Varen Nagasaki Ishigaki Island Soccer Park Anma, Ishigaki cityRenofa Yamaguchi 0–2 Machida Zelvia Ishigaki Island Soccer Park Anma, Ishigaki city29 November 2008 (11:00, 13:15)Honda Lock 2–0 Renofa Yamaguchi Ishigaki Island Soccer Park Anma, Ishigaki cityV-Varen Nagasaki 0–0PK 3–5 Machida Zelvia Ishigaki Island Soccer Park Anma, Ishigaki city30 November 2008 (10:00, 12:15)Honda Lock 1–2 Machida Zelvia Ishigaki Island Soccer Park Anma, Ishigaki cityV-Varen Nagasaki 1–0 Renofa Yamaguchi Ishigaki Island Soccer Park Anma, Ishigaki city
References Japan Football Association – The 32nd National Regional Football League Competition – Schedule and Results Japan Football Association – The 32nd National Regional Football League Competition – Tournament Outline Japan Football Association – The 32nd National Regional Football League Competition – Final Round The Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation – Japan Fourth and Lower Levels 2008 – All-Syakaijin Cup