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Matsuyama Yamaga Draws Again in J3 Match Against Kitakyushu

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Matsuyama Yamaga, a football team from Japan, has drawn its third match of the 2026/27 J3 League season. The game took place in round 4 against Giravanz Kitakyushu.

Kitakyushu came close to winning the match. However, Matsuyama Yamaga scored an equaliser late in the game, and the final result was a draw.

This result means Yamaga still has not won a match this season. The team has now drawn three times in four games.

After the match, Yamaga's coach, Ishizaki, gave his thoughts. He admitted that the team has not made a good start to the season.

However, he also said that the team will try to rally its spirit and keep fighting. His comments suggest the coach believes the team can still improve.

The match was part of the Meiji Yasuda J3 League, a Japanese professional football division. Fans will now wait to see how Yamaga performs in its next match.

Vocabulary6 words

J3 League
a group of professional football teams in Japan; the third highest level
drawn
finished a game with an equal score
equaliser
a goal that makes the score even again
Ishizaki
the coach of the Matsuyama Yamaga team
rally
to bring together strength or energy to try harder
division
a group or level in a sports league system

Quiz

1. How many times has Yamaga drawn this season?
2. How did the match against Kitakyushu end?
3. What did coach Ishizaki say about the team's spirit?

Fill-in-the-blank listening

Play the audio again and fill in the missing words as you listen.

Matsuyama Yamaga, a football team from Japan, has _____ its third match of the 2026/27 J3 League season. The game took place in round 4 against Giravanz Kitakyushu.

Kitakyushu came close to winning the match. However, Matsuyama Yamaga scored an _____ late in the game, and the final result was a draw.

This result means Yamaga still has not won a match this season. The team has now _____ three times in four games.

After the match, Yamaga's coach, _____, gave his thoughts. He admitted that the team has not made a good start to the season.

However, he also said that the team will try to _____ its spirit and keep fighting.

Discussion questions

  1. Why do you think a team might draw so many matches in a row?
  2. How important is a coach's public comment after a difficult result?
  3. Do you think a slow start to a season always predicts a bad season overall?
  4. What would you say to a team that has not won any games yet?

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