J1 League Match Week 37 Recap: Title race sent to the wire as Kashima and Kashiwa both win | News

The race for the 2025 MEIJI YASUDA J1 LEAGUE title will go right down to the final day of the season, after both leaders Kashima Antlers and second-placed Kashiwa Reysol won their Match Week 37 games on Sunday.

Kashima needed a second-half strike from Yuta Matsumura to pick up a 1-0 win away to Tokyo Verdy and keep hold of top spot, while Kashiwa won 3-1 at Albirex Niigata thanks to a hat-trick from Mao Hosoya.

Tokyo-V had the better chances in an entertaining first half at Ajinomoto Stadium, but Kashima goalkeeper Tomoki Hayakawa was equal to the home side’s efforts and Matsumura was on hand to seal all three points for his side when he tucked in a rebound in the 74th minute.

Hosoya’s lethal finishing means Kashiwa remain just one point behind heading into the final weekend though, with the Japan striker opening the scoring after 20 minutes at DENKA BIG SWAN STADIUM, spinning in the box before lashing home, then adding a second in the last minute of the first half with another clinical strike.

Hosoya completed his hat-trick 10 minutes after the restart when he slotted in another calm finish, with Keisuke Kasai’s 72nd-minute effort no more than a consolation for already-relegated Niigata.

Elsewhere, Kyoto Sanga F.C. climbed up into third place thanks to Rafael Elias’ 23rd-minute goal securing a 1-0 win against Yokohama FC, and Sanfrecce Hiroshima moved into fourth after coming from behind to beat Kawasaki Frontale 2-1 - Tatsuya Ito giving Kawasaki-F the lead in the 12th minute, but Hayao Kawabe equalising in the fourth minute of first-half stoppage time for Hiroshima and Sota Nakamura completing the comeback 11 minutes into the second period.

Meanwhile, FC Machida Zelvia and Yokohama F･Marinos both picked up 3-1 home wins, against Nagoya Grampus and Cerezo Osaka, respectively

Mitchell Duke headed FC Machida in front three minutes before half-time before Hotaka Nakamura made it 2-0 five minutes into the second period, and although Sho Inagaki pulled one back for Nagoya in the 61st minute, Gen Shoji wrapped up the win for FC Machida 11 minutes later.

A goal apiece from Yokohama F･M’s Asahi Uenaka and C-Osaka’s Rafael Ratao saw the teams go in level at the break at Nissan Stadium, but second-half strikes from Jordy Croux and Dean David made sure of the win for Yokohama F･M.

Three of the day’s other games finished 1-0 - Kosuke Onose sealing Shonan Bellmare a win against Shimizu S-Pulse, Daiki Matsuoka’s solitary strike seeing Avispa Fukuoka past Gamba Osaka, and Renji Hidano introducing himself at Urawa Reds with a debut goal away to Fagiano Okayama - while the contest between Vissel Kobe and FC TOKYO ended 0-0.