Japan Football X-League 2017!

The 22nd X-League fall season opened last weekend in the Tokyo area with Asahi Beer Silver Star beating Fuji Xerox Minerva AFC 38-6, and the Fujitsu Frontiers blanking the LIXIL Deers 30-0 in the Eastern Division, in Lixil's  rookie head coach Hajima Tominaga’s debu, replacing Kiyoyuki Mori. The Deers committed five turnovers to help the defending league champion to an easy victory.

Central Division action begins this weekend at Fujitsu Stadium with the All Mitsubishi Lions facing the Meijiyasuda PentaOcean Pirates on Saturday, and the Nojima Sagamihara Rise meeting the Bulls on Sunday. Both games kick off at 2 PM.

The Rise can be expect to be cheered on by their contingent of University of Michigan fans, especially now 105kg  fullback Sione Houma, and 115kg defensive end Mario Ojemudia join former Wolverine teammate Devin Gardner, who is in his second year with the rise. Jeremy Gallon, who led the league in receptions last year with 43, has departed.

Action continues during the week with games at the Tokyo Dome: the Tokyo Gas Creators face the Keishicho Eagles on Monday night, and OBIC Seagulls will take on IBM Big Blue on Tuesday night in a rematch of the Pearl Bowl held in June. IBM added the what will be the largest player in the league, DL Charles Tuaau out of Texas A&M-Commerce (1.96m, 141 kg).
Those games will kick off at 7.

Perennial leaders the Panasonic Impulse are still the team to beat in the West, but expect a challenge from Asahi Soft Drinks and Elecom.