The 33rd annual Japanese Regional Football League Competition took place from 21 November 2009 to 6 December 2009. It took place across the prefectures of Fukushima, Toyama, Tottori, Kōchi and Nagano. It is the tournament which decided promotion to the Japan Football League for the 2010 season. The top two teams in this competition (Matsumoto Yamaga and Hitachi Tochigi Soccer Club) were given promotion to the Japan Football League. Third place Zweigen Kanazawa achieved promotion via a two-leg play off with F.C. Kariya.
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. 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 lose. 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 play off will be contested between top two teams.
Venues Preliminary round Group A - Iwaki Greenfield, Iwaki, Fukushima prefecture Group B - Takaoka Sports Core, Takaoka, Toyama prefecture Group C - Tottori Athletics Stadium, Tottori, Tottori prefecture Group D - Kochi Haruno Athletic Stadium, Kōchi, Kōchi Prefecture
Final round Matsumotodaira Football Stadium, Matsumoto, Nagano prefecture
Participating teams
9 Regional League champions Hokkaido: Satsudai Goal Plunderers Tohoku: Grulla Morioka Kanto: Yokohama Sports and Culture Club Hokushinetsu: College of Upward Players in Soccer Tokai: Yazaki Valente Kansai: Sanyo Denki Sumoto Football Club Chugoku: Renofa Yamaguchi Shikoku: Tokushima Vortis Second Kyushu: Okinawa Kariyushi
Runner-Up from selected leagues Regional Leagues whose representative reached the final round in 2008, are eligible for a second team to represent them. Kanto: Hitachi Tochigi Soccer Club Chugoku: NTN Okayama S.C. Kyushu: Volca Kagoshima
High performing teams in the All Japan Senior Football Championship Matsumoto Yamaga (Hokushinetsu) (winner) Zweigen Kanazawa (Hokushinetsu) (runner-up)
Invited teams AS Laranja Kyoto (Kansai) Hamamatsu University (Tokai)
Results
Preliminary round
Group A TeamYokohama Sports and Culture Club33000120129Grulla Morioka320015326NTN Okayama S.C.30102413-92Satsudai Goal Plunderers3001238-51
21 November 2009 (11:00, 13:15)Grulla Morioka 1–0 Satsudai Goal Plunderers Iwaki Greenfield, IwakiNTN Okayama S.C. 0–6 Yokohama Sports and Culture Club Iwaki Greenfield, Iwaki22 November 2009 (11:00, 13:15)Grulla Morioka 4–1 NTN Okayama S.C. Iwaki Greenfield, IwakiSatsudai Goal Plunderers 0–4 Yokohama Sports and Culture Club Iwaki Greenfield, Iwaki23 November 2009 (11:00, 13:15)Grulla Morioka 0–2 Yokohama Sports and Culture Club Iwaki Greenfield, IwakiNTN Okayama S.C. 3–3PK 2-4 Satsudai Goal Plunderers Iwaki Greenfield, Iwaki
Group B TeamHitachi Tochigi Soccer Club320109277AS.Laranja Kyoto311104316College of Upward Players in Soccer311014405Yazaki Valente3000319-80
21 November 2009 (11:00, 13:15)Hitachi Tochigi Soccer Club 3–1 College of Upward Players in Soccer Takaoka Sports Core, TakaokaAS.Laranja Kyoto 2–1 Yazaki Valente Takaoka Sports Core, Takaoka22 November 2009 (11:00, 13:15)Hitachi Tochigi Soccer Club 1–1PK 4-5 AS.Laranja Kyoto Takaoka Sports Core, TakaokaCollege of Upward Players in Soccer 2–0 Yazaki Valente Takaoka Sports Core, Takaoka23 November 2009 (11:00, 13:15)Hitachi Tochigi Soccer Club 5–0 Yazaki Valente Takaoka Sports Core, TakaokaCollege of Upward Players in Soccer 1–1PK 4-2 AS.Laranja Kyoto Takaoka Sports Core, Takaoka
Group C TeamMatsumoto Yamaga33000121119Renofa Yamaguchi311015415Okinawa Kariyushi310117525Hamamatsu University30003115-140
21 November 2009 (11:00, 13:15)Okinawa Kariyushi 1–1PK 6-7 Renofa Yamaguchi Tottori Athletics Stadium, TottoriMatsumoto Yamaga 6–0 Hamamatsu University Tottori Athletics Stadium, Tottori22 November 2009 (11:00, 13:15)Okinawa Kariyushi 1–3 Matsumoto Yamaga Tottori Athletics Stadium, TottoriRenofa Yamaguchi 4–0 Hamamatsu University Tottori Athletics Stadium, Tottori23 November 2009 (11:00, 13:15)Okinawa Kariyushi 5–1 Hamamatsu University Tottori Athletics Stadium, TottoriRenofa Yamaguchi 0–3 Matsumoto Yamaga Tottori Athletics Stadium, Tottori
Group D TeamZweigen Kanazawa321005238Sanyo Denki Sumoto Football Club310203215Volca Kagoshima311014405Tokushima Vortis Second3000337-40
21 November 2009 (11:00, 13:15)Zweigen Kanazawa 3–1 Tokushima Vortis Second Kochi Haruno Athletic Stadium, KōchiVolca Kagoshima 1–1PK 8-7 Sanyo Denki Sumoto Football Club Kochi Haruno Athletic Stadium, Kōchi22 November 2009 (11:00, 13:15)Zweigen Kanazawa 2–1 Volca Kagoshima Kochi Haruno Athletic Stadium, KōchiTokushima Vortis Second 1–2 Sanyo Denki Sumoto Football Club Kochi Haruno Athletic Stadium, Kōchi23 November 2009 (11:00, 13:15)Zweigen Kanazawa 0–0PK 8-7 Sanyo Denki Sumoto Football Club Kochi Haruno Athletic Stadium, KōchiTokushima Vortis Second 1–2 Volca Kagoshima Kochi Haruno Athletic Stadium, Kōchi
Final Round TeamMatsumoto Yamaga320103127Hitachi Tochigi Soccer Club320016336Zweigen Kanazawa3011114-33Yokohama Sports and Culture Club3010224-22
4 December 2009 (11:00, 13:15)Yokohama Sports and Culture Club 1–2 Hitachi Tochigi Soccer Club Matsumotodaira Football Stadium, MatsumotoMatsumoto Yamaga 0–0PK 4-5 Zweigen Kanazawa Matsumotodaira Football Stadium, Matsumoto5 December 2009 (11:00, 13:15)Yokohama Sports and Culture Club 0–1 Matsumoto Yamaga Matsumotodaira Football Stadium, MatsumotoHitachi Tochigi Soccer Club 3–0 Zweigen Kanazawa Matsumotodaira Football Stadium, Matsumoto6 December 2009 (11:00, 13:15)Yokohama Sports and Culture Club 1–1PK 12-11 Zweigen Kanazawa Matsumotodaira Football Stadium, MatsumotoHitachi Tochigi Soccer Club 1–2 Matsumoto Yamaga Matsumotodaira Football Stadium, Matsumoto
References Japan Football Association - The 33rd National Regional Football League Competition - Final Round Japan Football Association - The 33rd National Regional Football League Competition - Schedule and Results Japan Football Association - The 33rd National Regional Football League Competition - Tournament Outline The Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation - Japan Fourth and Lower Levels 2009