1 Dec 2005(Thu)

November 30, 20005: So where's it to be on Saturday?

As usual, there are several attractive options for J.Watchers.

But this Saturday, the last Saturday of the season, is rather different.

In fact it's an incredible situation, as five of the teams can still win the championship.

There have been some close finishes in the recent past, such as the second stage in 2003, when Kubo settled it for Marinos right at the death at home to Jubilo, but nothing like this after 33 games.

This time, of course, Cerezo are in the driving seat. They are one point clear of Gamba in second place and have a home match, against FC Tokyo at Nagai Stadium.

It will not be easy to win against FC Tokyo, especially with all the pressure on the home team, and the expectations of, hopefully, a rare full house at Nagai.

Cerezo have been in this position before, five years ago in the first stage, when they needed to beat Kawasaki Frontale at home in the last game. A win in extra time, worth two points (aren't you happy that old system has been scrapped?), would have been enough, but they lost, and Marinos celebrated an unlikely first-stage title at Kokuritsu.

So will Cerezo be able to handle the pressure this time? It's difficult to know, because they have been under no pressure all season. For a while it was a two-horse race between Gamba and Antlers, but Cerezo have come up on the rails, almost unnoticed, and can now see the finishing line.

The championship is there for Cerezo to lose, as their destiny is in their own hands.

If they slip up and draw, or lose, can Gamba muster enough motivation and determination to beat Kawasaki Frontale at Todoroki?

Again, who knows the answer to this, as Gamba must be full of self-doubt rather than self-confidence, after the blows they have taken in recent games.

And there's still Reds, Antlers and JEF, all together on 56 points, two behind Cerezo.

Reds are at the Big Swan against Albirex Niigata; Antlers are at home to Reysol, who have had another miserable season and must scrap again for J1 survival in the playoffs; and JEF are at home to Nagoya.

After 33 games, it is highly unusual to be in this situation, and the J.League planners could not have asked for a more dramatic conclusion to the first single-stage season since 1996.

And they deserve it for taking the plunge and doing away with the two-stage system, which, hopefully, will never appear again.

One problem though. How many championship trophies or replicas do the J.League have? They will need five on Saturday in five different cities, ready to present to the top team!

ends