Musashimaru tied for first
with Asashoryu at 9-1

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From staff and wire reports

TOKYO, Sept. 17 (Kyodo) - Yokozuna Takanohana cleared the first hurdle in his comeback to the dohyo Tuesday when he claimed his eighth victory to secure a winning record at the Autumn Grand Sumo Tournament.

The win kept Takanohana behind fellow grand champion Musashimaru and newly promoted Mongolian ozeki Asashoryu with five days left in the tournament.

Takanohana (8-2) was made to work hard but held his nerve against tricky moves by No. 4 maegashira Takanowaka (6-4), who mounted a brave challenge by drawing on a full arsenal of techniques at Ryogoku Kokugikan.

After a couple of exchanges of slaps and thrusts, as well as sudden, brief mid-ring belt-gripping tussles, Takanohana calmly shoved his opponents over the straw ridge to mark his 900th career bout in the top makuuchi division with a win.

Asashoryu (9-1) rebounded from Monday's defeat to preserve his share of the lead in a bout between in-form ozeki.

Asashoryu survived a fierce thrust to his neck at the face-off and then lunged onward until Chiyotaikai backpedaled with little resistance over the edge in an anti-climatic ending to one of the day's featured bouts.

Musashimaru (9-1), or Hawaii yokozuna Fiamalu Penitani, would not budge in the face of a challenge from No. 5 maegashira Tamanoshima (5-5), who circled around the ring trying to dodge devastating slaps but was eventually slapped down by only the second real blow unleashed by the Samoan-born giant. Seeking his 12th Emperor'sCup after winning two of the past three tournaments, Musashimaru takes on Takanowaka tomorrow.

Kaio (8-2) escaped from the danger of being relegated from sumo's second highest rank, laboring to a much-needed eighth win with a powerful arm throw after being locked in a belt-gripping duel with ozeki rival Musoyama (7-3).

One-time ozeki candidate Kotomitsuki (8-2) remained on a comeback track as the seventh-ranked maegashira bulldozed eighth-ranked Tamakasuga (7-3) out of the ring for an easy win.

Day 10

(+denotes juryo-division wrestler):

		Won	Technique	Lost
Asanowaka	5-5	hatakikomi	+Hayateumi	2-8
Wakanoyama	6-4	oshidashi	Otsukasa	2-8
Ushiomaru	6-4	oshidashi	Kyokushuzan	5-5
Gojoro	5-5	tsukiotoshi	Tochinohana	5-5
Kotomitsuki	8-2	oshidashi	Tamakasuga	7-3
Aminishiki	6-4	yorikiri	Akinoshima	5-5
Tokitsuumi	5-5	owatehineri	Kasuganishiki	3-7
Tochisakae	1-5-4	oshidashi	Daizen	1-9
Buyuzan	2-8	tsukiotoshi	Kotoryu	3-7
Hokutoriki	6-4	hikiotoshi	Miyabiyama	4-6
Shimotori	3-7	makiotoshi	Tochinonada	1-9
Toki	3-7	oshidashi	Takanonami	4-6
Wakanosato	6-4	yorikiri	Kyokutenho	5-5
Takamisakari	2-8	tsukiotoshi	Tosanoumi	5-5
Asashoryu	9-1	oshidashi	Chiyotaikai	8-2
Kaio	8-2	uwatenage	Musoyama	7-3
Musashimaru	9-1	hikiotoshi	Tamanoshima	5-5
Takanohana	8-2	yorikiri	Takanowaka	6-4

Wednesday's bouts

Tochinohana	0	-	0	Ushiomaru
+Senshuyama	x	-	x	Otsukasa
Asanowaka	5	-	10	Kyokushuzan
Daizen	4	-	6	Wakanoyama
Kasuganishiki	0	-	0	Aminishiki
Kotomitsuki	3	-	0	Akinoshima
Tamakasuga	7	-	4	Tokitsuumi
Tochisakae	0	-	0	Gojoro
Hokutoriki	0	-	1	Kotoryu
Buyuzan	0	-	1	Toki
Miyabiyama	4	-	0	Kyokutenho
Shimotori	1	-	0	Takanonami
Takamisakari	1	-	0	Tochinonada
Wakanosato	6	-	4	Tosanoumi
Kaio	3	-	2	Tamanoshima
Chiyotaikai	6	-	12	Musoyama
Asashoryu	0	-	1	Takanohana
Musashimaru	8	-	1	Takanowaka

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