The top of the Meiji Yasuda J1 League table is looking awfully crowded after 22 weeks. Yokohama F·Marinos moved level with Vissel Kobe for first place, while Nagoya Grampus pulled within two points of the joint leaders as the fight for the title heats up.
Let’s check in on the results that got us that tight top three and everything else from the week.
Yokohama FC 2, Vissel Kobe 0
Shion Inoue scored a belter and Ryoya Yamashita added a goal of his own as the Fulie did their crosstown rivals Marinos a favor by defeating league-leading Vissel.
Urawa Reds 0, Yokohama F·Marinos 0
Marinos had a chance to take over sole possession of first place, but Urawa played very well and the one point the Tricolor took were enough to move level with Vissel in the table.
Nagoya Grampus 1, Albirex Niigata 0
A dynamic run and pass from Ryuji Izumi set up Ryoya Morishita for the lone goal of the game as Grampus moved within two points of the top.
Kashima Antlers 3, Hokkaido Consadole Sapporo 0
Yuma Suzuki was unstoppable, setting up Yuta Higuchi with a gorgeous pass for Kashima’s first goal 11 seconds after kickoff and heading home their third to lead his side to three crucial points in their pursuit of an AFC Champions League place.
Cerezo Osaka 0, F.C.Tokyo 1
Kuryu Matsuki danced through the Cerezo defense before finishing with authority to push F.C.Tokyo to victory.
Kawasaki Frontale 3, Gamba Osaka 4
Gamba jumped out to a 3-1 lead, but Frontale fought back as Yusuke Segawa scored in the 71st and 75h minutes to equalize, only for Dawhan to head home from a corner seven minutes into stoppage time for a dramatic Gamba win that extended their unbeaten streak to eight matches.
Sagan Tosu 0, Avispa Fukuoka 1
Takeshi Kanamori made all the difference as he scored the only goal of the match to lift Avi to three points in Tosu.
Shonan Bellmare 1, Sanfrecce Hiroshima 0
Yuki Ohashi’s rocket was all Bellmare needed to end their 15-match winless streak and extended Sanfrecce’s to six.
Kyoto Sanga 0, Kashiwa Reysol 1
Mao Hosoya was the Reysol hero once again, racing to a ball, holding off a defender and finishing to earn his side three points that kept them from falling to the bottom of the table.
