Things tightened up at both ends of the 2025 MEIJI YASUDA J1 LEAGUE table on Saturday, as Kyoto Sanga F.C. made their way back to the top of the rankings and the bottom three all earned valuable points.
Kyoto reassumed their role as the top flight’s pacesetters, moving back up into first place on 48 points courtesy of a hard-fought 1-0 win at home to Tokyo Verdy.
The only goal of the game at SANGA STADIUM by KYOCERA came in the 66th minute, when Kyoto’s Rafael Elias fired in from close range.
Meanwhile, FC Machida Zelvia climbed up into fourth place, only two points behind Kyoto, after they eased to a comfortable 3-0 victory over Cerezo Osaka.
Na Sangho set FC Machida on their way after 22 minutes when he rifled home, Kotaro Hayashi doubled the hosts’ lead with a crisp finish three minutes before half-time, and Oh Se Hun wrapped up the win with a header in the 79th minute, securing FC Machida’s seventh straight win - and fifth in a row without conceding.
Sanfrecce Hiroshima joined FC Machida on 46 points as they extended their own unbeaten run to four games - a streak which has similarly seen their defence refuse to give up a single goal - defeating Gamba Osaka 1-0 thanks to Sota Nakamura’s 19th-minute strike.
Kashima Antlers now sit second and trail Kyoto by the finest margin of goals scored, after they drew 1-1 at home to Avispa Fukuoka.
Shosei Usui put visitors Fukuoka ahead with a tap-in five minutes into the second half, but substitute Yu Funabashi rescued what could prove a crucial point for Kashima with six minutes remaining when he swept in a stunning strike on the bounce from just inside the area.
Elsewhere, all of the bottom three put points on the board, leaving each of them still within reach of safety.
Goals from Ryotaro Tsunoda, Dean David, and Kaina Tanimura secured Yokohama F･Marinos a 3-1 win against Shimizu S-Pulse, for whom Koya Kitagawa struck a late consolation, a 94th-minute Sho Ito goal saw Yokohama FC stun Vissel Kobe 1-0, and Albirex Niigata drew 1-1 with Kawasaki Frontale - Eiji Shirai giving Niigata the lead and Tatsuya Ito equalising for Kawasaki-F in first-half injury time.
In the day’s other games, first-half goals from Hiiro Komori and Matheus Savio secured Urawa Reds a 2-1 win against Nagoya Grampus - Teruki Hara with Nagoya’s effort midway through the second half - and Shonan Bellmare came from behind to draw 2-2 with FC TOKYO. Motoki Nagakura and Alexander Scholz gave FC TOKYO the advantage, but Yuto Suzuki and Akito Suzuki struck back to earn Shonan their point - the latter equalising in the 97th minute.
Kyoto Sanga F.C. vs. Tokyo Verdy - Game Highlights | 2025 J1 LEAGUE HIGHLIGHTS | MW 26
FC Machida Zelvia vs. Cerezo Osaka - Game Highlights | 2025 J1 LEAGUE HIGHLIGHTS | MW 26
Sanfrecce Hiroshima vs. Gamba Osaka - Game Highlights | 2025 J1 LEAGUE HIGHLIGHTS | MW 26
Kashima Antlers vs. Avispa Fukuoka - Game Highlights | 2025 J1 LEAGUE HIGHLIGHTS | MW 26
Shimizu S-Pulse vs. Yokohama F•Marinos - Game Highlights | 2025 J1 LEAGUE HIGHLIGHTS | MW 26
Vissel Kobe vs. Yokohama FC - Game Highlights | 2025 J1 LEAGUE HIGHLIGHTS | MW 26
Albirex Niigata vs. Kawasaki Frontale - Game Highlights | 2025 J1 LEAGUE HIGHLIGHTS | MW 26
Urawa Reds vs. Nagoya Grampus - Game Highlights | 2025 J1 LEAGUE HIGHLIGHTS | MW 26
Shonan Bellmare vs. FC TOKYO - Game Highlights | 2025 J1 LEAGUE HIGHLIGHTS | MW 26
