J1 League Match Week 30 Recap: Kashima return to the top as Kyoto and Kashiwa falter, Yokohama FC and Yokohama F･M both win as survival battle heats up | News

Top spot in the 2025 MEIJI YASUDA J1 LEAGUE table changed hands again on Saturday, as Kashima Antlers won 1-0 away to Urawa Reds and Kyoto Sanga F.C. fell to a surprise 1-0 loss at home to Shimizu S-Pulse.

The crucial goal at Saitama Stadium 2002 came after a slip-up by Urawa’s Shusaku Nishikawa in the 14th minute, and when the veteran goalkeeper’s pass to Danilo Boza fell short Kashima’s Yuma Suzuki was on hand to convert from just outside the area and send his side back to the summit.

Kyoto slipped to second after failing to find a way through against a disciplined Shimizu, with substitute Shinya Yajima making sure the visitors left with all three points after converting Sen Takagi’s low cross in the 75th minute.

Kashiwa Reysol remain in third place, after they were held to a 1-1 draw away to Cerezo Osaka. Mao Hosoya gave Kashiwa the lead with crisp finish after Nobuteru Nakagawa squared to him in the area in the 25th minute, but Lucas Fernandes steered an equaliser into the bottom corner of the net four minutes before half time for C-Osaka to ensure the points were shared at YODOKO SAKURA STADIUM.

Elsewhere, the relegation battle remains just as closely fought as that for the title, with both Yokohama FC and Yokohama F･Marinos picking up victories as they look to make sure of a place in the top flight next season.

Adailton’s thunderbolt from 25 yards with four minutes remaining secured Yokohama FC a 1-0 win over Albirex Niigata - at the same time leaving Niigata rooted to the foot of the table and eight points from safety.

Meanwhile, at Nissan Stadium two first-half goals were enough for Yokohama F･M to claim all the spoils from their contest against Avispa Fukuoka. Dean David got the scoring started in the 21st minute when he tucked in after being teed up by Jordy Croux, before centre-back Ryotaro Tsunoda clipped home from a corner three minutes before the interval to wrap up a 2-0 win for the hosts.

In the day’s other games, Tokyo Verdy claimed an impressive 4-2 win over Fagiano Okayama - Itsuki Someno, Hayato Hirao, Yuya Fukuda, and Hiroto Taniguchi on the scoresheet for Tokyo-V and Ataru Esaka and Kazunari Ichimi replying for Okayama - Keita Endo’s 23rd-minute header was enough to seal FC TOKYO a 1-0 win away to Kawasaki Frontale, and Nagoya Grampus eased past Shonan Bellmare 3-1 thanks to goals from Sho Inagaki, Kensuke Nagai, and Yuya Yamagishi - Akito Suzuki striking Shonan’s late consolation.