This year's Emperor's Cup knockout soccer tournament will kick off on Nov. 25, the Japan Football Association announced Monday.
The annual tournament will feature all of the J. League Division One and Division Two teams, the top two teams from the JFL, two college teams, the All-Japan Under-18 Youth Championship winner -- Kunimi High School -- as well as qualifiers from 47 prefectures.
The second round will be held on Dec. 2, the third round on Dec. 9, the fourth round on Dec. 16, the quarterfinals on Dec. 24 and the semifinals on Dec. 29. The final will be staged at Tokyo's National Stadium on Jan. 1.
In other news, the JFA is planning bids to host the Asian Under-17 Youth Championship in 2004, the FIFA World Under-20 Youth Championship in 2007 and the Asian Women's Championship in 2005.
Boca's first win
BUENOS AIRES (Kyodo) Boca Juniors claimed their first win of the season Sunday after a 3-1 victory over Chacarita Juniors with Naohiro Takahara again in the starting lineup.
The Japanese striker was not among the scorers at the Bombonera Stadium.
"Takahara is playing well but he is still struggling to understand the flow of the game. The level of soccer played here is different than in Japan," said Boca manager Carlos Bianchi.
Cerezo's new duo
OSAKA -- Cerezo Osaka has signed Brazilian duo Marcelo and Wagner on short-term contracts running through Jan. 2 next year, officials of the J. League first-division side said Monday.
Defensive midfielder Marcelo, 25, joins from Brazilian side Internacional while 28-year-old forward Wagner has been brought in from AD Sao Caetano to beef up Cerezo's force. Cerezo also announced that it has terminated its contract with Brazilian striker Washington, who last month joined the relegation-threatened club from Parana on a short-term loan deal, to make way for the new signings.