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Musashimaru holds
lead in autumn sumo

TOKYO, Sept. 11 (Kyodo) - Yokozuna Musashimaru sent out Tochinonada for a ninth straight win Monday and remained one step ahead of his nearest challengers at the Autumn Grand Sumo Tournament.

Grand champion Akebono downed sekiwake Musoyama and Kaio took out fellow ozeki Chiyotaikai as both posted their eighth wins against one loss to remain the title hunt at Tokyo's Ryogoku Kokugikan.

Musashimaru, in the hunt for his first championship of the year, got a scare after Tochinonada (2-7) came out strongly from the face-off to send him stumbling towards the edge of the ring.

The autumn defending champion reacted quickly, however, regaining his balance, to yank the No. 3 maegashira down to maintain his umblemished record in the tourney.

Akebono (8-1), meanwhile, muscled out sekiwake Musoyama (5-4), blocking the ozeki hopeful's attack at the face-off before marching him over the bales in textbook fashion.

Newly-promoted ozeki Kaio (8-1) stood firm against Chiyotaikai (6-3) throwing him out after the Kokonoe stable ozeki had held the advantage with some powerful slaps.

Hayateumi (5-4) upended ozeki Dejima (7-2) in the shocker of the day as the second-ranked maegashira locked onto Dejima's left side with a powerful thrust before tipping him over the edge of the ring for the win.

"Kadoban" ozeki Miyabiyama (6-3), needing eight wins to hold onto his rank, grappled his way back from two straight losses by forcing out No. 4 maegashira Toki (5-4) for a big win.

Mongolia's third-ranked maegashira Kyokutenho (2-7) lifted Kotoryu (1-8) over the straw bales after twice taking the stubborn No. 1 maegashira to the edge to eke out a second win.

No. 14 maegashira Kyokushuzan (7-2), also from Mongolia, was in impressive form as the former komusubi subjected Tamakasuga (4-5) to a barrage of slaps and thrusts before getting around behind and shoving the ninth-ranked maegashira down from behind.

American Sentoryu (3-6), fighting as a No. 12 maegashira, charged in low at the face-off but 15th-ranked maegashira Tochisakae (5-4) quickly swung the St. Louis native round to the left before dumping him onto the dohyo surface.

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Results

TOKYO, Sept. 11 (Kyodo) - Results of makuuchi division bouts on Monday, the ninth day of the Autumn Grand Sumo Tournament at Ryogoku Kokugikan (+ denotes juryo division wrestler):

Won -- Technique -- Lost
+Jumonji 6-3 -- oshidashi -- Daishi 2-7
Tochisakae 5-4 -- katasukashi -- Sentoryu 3-6
Kinkaiyama 4-5 -- yorikiri -- Minatofuji 3-6
Wakanosato 7-2 -- uwatenage -- Hamanoshima 5-4
Tokitsuumi 3-6 -- shitatedashinage -- Otsukasa 4-5
Aminishiki 6-3 -- hikiotoshi -- Higonoumi 5-4
Kyokushuzan 7-2 -- okuritaoshi -- Tamakasuga 4-5
Wakanoyama 5-4 -- oshidashi -- Kaiho 4-5
Tochinohana 7-2 -- yorikiri -- Takanowaka 3-6
Asanowaka 3-6 -- oshitaoshi -- Oginishiki 0-9
Kotonowaka 6-3 -- tsukidashi -- Takatoriki 3-6
Kyokutenho 2-7 -- yoirikiri -- Kotoryu 1-8
Takanonami 6-3 -- tsuridashi -- Chiyotenzan 2-7
Akinoshima 4-5 -- okuritaoshi -- Tosanoumi 2-7
Miyabiyama 6-3 -- oshidashi -- Toki 5-4
Hayateumi 5-4 -- yorikiri -- Dejima 7-2
Kaio 8-1 -- sukuinage -- Chiyotaikai 6-3
Musashimaru 9-0 -- uwatenage -- Tochinonada 2-7
Akebono 8-1 -- yorikiri -- Musoyama 5-4

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Tuesday's bouts

Kinkaiyama x - x +Oikari
Hamanoshima 5 - 10 Minatofuji
Tokitsuumi 3 - 4 Higonoumi
Tamakasuga 0 - 0 Tochisakae
Kaiho 0 - 0 Daishi
Sentoryu 0 - 0 Asanowaka
Tochinohana 0 - 0 Kyokushuzan
Wakanoyama 0 - 1 Otsukasa
Wakanosato 0 - 5 Kotonowaka
Aminishiki 0 - 0 Takanowaka
Chiyotenzan 3 - 0 Oginishiki
Tosanoumi 0 - 0 Kyokutenho
Kotoryu 0 - 5 Takanonami
Akinoshima 10 - 14 Musoyama
Chiyotaikai 3 - 3 Miyabiyama
Kaio 8 - 2 Tochinonada
Toki 2 - 6 Dejima
Akebono 0 - 0 Hayateumi
Takatoriki 8 - 36 Musashimaru

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Juryo Division

Tomonohana (4-5) Kuniazuma (5-4)
Asashoyu (6-3) Shikishima (5-4)

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Junior Divisions

Makushita

Towanoyama Hoshiandesu (1-4)
Kasugaoh (4-1) Munakata

Sandanme

Asasekiryu (5-0) Fukutaro

Jonidan

Fudoyama (2-3) Aoki
Kitakasuga (2-3) Yawataumi

(Junior division wrestlers have only seven bouts during the tournament. Records of foreign wrestlers' opponents were not available.)

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Results in Scoreboard

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