Kotonishiki beats
Takanohana to lead
Kyushu sumo

FUKUOKA, Nov. 20 (Kyodo) -- Former sekiwake Kotonishiki scored a surprise victory over grand champion Takanohana on Friday to cling to his lead in the Kyushu Grand Sumo Tournament.

The victory for the No. 12 maegashira gave Kotonishiki his 12th win against one loss at Fukuoka Kokusai Center heading into the final weekend of the 15-day tourney and leaves him a step ahead of No. 9 maegashira Tosanoumi, who is 11-2 after downing yokozuna Wakanohana.

Ozeki Musashimaru also kept alive his own chances for the championship, dropping No. 5 maegashira Akinoshima at center-ring for his 10th win.

In Friday's featured bout, Kotonishiki worked both arms inside the yokozuna's defenses for control of the belt and muscled Takanohana out of the ring to remain in contention for his first-ever Emperor's Cup.

Kotonishiki, who won 11 straight against opponents at the lower end of the makuuchi division before losing to Wakanohana on Thursday, squares off with ozeki Takanonami, the defending champion in Kyushu, on Saturday.

A win for the Sadogatake stable wrestler and a loss by Tosanoumi to Takanohana would give Kotonishiki the championship.

Tosanoumi, meanwhile, remained in the hunt for his first taste of championship sake as he overpowered Wakanohana with a firm grip on the grand champion's sash and a 30-kilogram weight advantage.

Tosanoumi took Wakanohana to the edge of the ring and then fought off an attempted throw by the yokozuna, knocking Wakanohana out of the ring and out of the title chase.

Sekiwake Chiyotaikai, looking like a bona fide ozeki candidate, plowed straight ahead against Takanonami and bulldozed the ozeki out for his ninth win while the defending champion was tagged with a fifth loss.

Wakanosato, an up-and-coming No. 6 maegashira who upset Wakanohana on Wednesday, felt his right ankle crumble underneath the pressuring attack of komusubi Musoyama and needed to be helped from the ring and taken from the arena in a wheelchair.

Mongolia's Kyokushuzan whipped makuuchi newcomer Oikari past him and shoved him out from behind for his fourth win in a row and leaving him one win shy of moving up from his No. 12 maegashira slot.

Results in Scoreboard

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