J9 – Goeido désormais seul en tête

Ozeki Goeido won his eighth straight bout at the Autumn Grand Sumo Tournament on Monday to take sole lead and secure his status in sumo’s second-highest rank.

Goeido (8-1), who would have faced demotion with a losing record in the 15-day event, appeared uncharacteristically cautious against No. 2 maegashira Aoiyama (0-2 with seven rest days due to injury) but thrust the Bulgarian down after sidestepping his charge at Ryogoku Kokugikan in Tokyo.

No. 3 maegashira Onosho and 12th-ranked Daishomaru, who began the day in a three-way tie for the lead, lost their ninth-day matches to fall one win back of Goeido.

Onosho fell on all fours after a viciously attacking third-ranked Chiyotairyu took a subtle step to his right before slapping the up-and-coming 20-year-old down to the dirt, leaving both wrestlers at 7-2. Onosho has lost all three of his career meetings against Chiyotairyu.

Daishomaru’s determined slapping and shoving had no effect on Takarafuji (6-3), and the larger No. 8 maegashira shoved him out of the dohyo ring.

No. 9 Takanoiwa is the fourth wrestler at 7-2 after he slapped down 14th-ranked Endo (5-4).

In the day’s last bout, yokozuna Harumafuji picked up his fourth straight win by making a low charge against Shodai (4-5) and edging the fifth-ranked maegashira out of the ring.

Harumafuji, the only grand champion competing at this tourney, sits two wins behind Goeido along with four other wrestlers, including rank-and-filers Arawashi, Daieisho and Asanoyama.

The Autumn meet is missing three yokozuna — Hakuho, Kakuryu and Kisenosato — and two ozeki — Takayasu and Terunofuji.

Written by Kyodo