Kanazawa Rallies Past Azul Claro Numazu, Climbing J3 Table in Crucial October Clash

KANAZAWA, Japan — A cold October evening at Kanazawa Go Go Curry Stadium delivered a performance that may signal a turning point for Zweigen Kanazawa’s ambitions in the J3 League season. Spurred by a rampant first-half response, Kanazawa overturned an early deficit to dispatch Azul Claro Numazu 3-1, a victory that vaults the hosts to ninth place and keeps the conversation alive about a late surge up the standings.

Azul Claro Numazu, mired in the relegation zone and searching for momentum, stunned the home crowd with a clinical opener in just the seventh minute. The early goal, struck after a crisp passage of play, seemed momentarily to sap Kanazawa’s composure. But whatever anxiety lingered was quickly banished. If the first act belonged to the visitors, the remainder of the half was a Kanazawa showcase in front of a jubilant home support.

Kanazawa’s response arrived with precision. Seven minutes after conceding, a sweeping team move uncorked the equalizer on 14 minutes. The pressure did not relent. The hosts seized the advantage in the 21st, capitalizing on a defensive lapse to take their first lead. By the 34th minute, Kanazawa had asserted control; a third goal capped a frenetic spell that left Numazu chasing shadows, their lines stretched and discipline fraying.

The match’s pivotal moments belonged to Kanazawa’s relentless midfield, who dictated tempo and forced turnovers that regularly left the Numazu back line exposed. Though the goal scorers’ names were not on everyone’s lips pre-match, by evening’s end, their clinical finishing had etched them into the contest’s narrative.

Azul Claro Numazu’s troubles compounded late. Any dim hope of a second-half reversal was extinguished in the 83rd minute, when a reckless challenge resulted in a straight red card. Down to ten men, the visitors offered little threat in the closing phases, and the final whistle underscored the chasm between a side on the rise and a club adrift.

For Kanazawa, this victory extends a vital run. Winners of four of their last five, including a decisive 3-1 away win at Parceiro Nagano and narrow triumphs over Kamatamare Sanuki and Osaka, the club has found its rhythm as the season tilts towards its business end. The only recent blemish—a 0-1 loss at FC Ryukyu—served as a brief interruption in what has otherwise been a sustained resurgence.

Numazu’s woes, meanwhile, deepen. Despite a hard-fought win at Kochi United last week and a narrow victory over Nara Club in mid-September, they remain anchored to 20th place with just 24 points from 30 matches. Their inability to string results together—a pattern marked by five wins, nine draws, and sixteen losses—has left them dangerously close to the bottom, with survival now their only objective as the campaign wanes.

There is little recent head-to-head history to suggest that today’s result bucked any trend, but the manner of Kanazawa’s comeback displayed the sort of poise and attacking fluidity that has been absent earlier in their season. Sitting now on 41 points, Kanazawa have consolidated their mid-table standing and, with their form surging, may dare to look upward rather than downward.

Azul Claro Numazu, by contrast, must regroup quickly. The sending-off late in this contest—not just a numerical blow but a symbolic one—underscores the discipline and focus required in the closing weeks if they are to avoid slipping further into the drop zone.

As the lights dimmed on a night bursting with drama, Kanazawa’s faithful stood in full voice, sensing that their season’s trajectory now bends towards hope. For Numazu, the path is shadowed by uncertainty, every fixture now a test of resolve as autumn turns to winter in Japan’s third division. With just a handful of games remaining, both teams know what is at stake—a season’s promise for Kanazawa, and for Numazu, a battle to stave off despair.