Vissel Kobe took a huge step towards being crowned MEIJI YASUDA J1 100 YEAR VISION LEAGUE champions on Saturday, as they picked up a sensational 5-0 win over Kashima Antlers in their Play-Off Round 1st Leg.
Yuya Osako struck a hat-trick against his former club - rifling in a free-kick in the 28th minute, adding a second five minutes into the second half, and heading home again in the fourth minute of injury time - with Diego and Ren Komatsu also finding the net at NOEVIR Stadium Kobe to leave Kobe with one hand on the trophy.
The battle to claim third spot is far tighter, with Cerezo Osaka and FC TOKYO playing to a 2-2 draw at YANMAR HANASAKA STADIUM.
Visitors FC TOKYO broke the deadlock courtesy of an Ayumu Ohata own goal after 36 minutes, before Masaya Shibayama restored parity in the second minute of first-half stoppage time when he curled in with his left foot.
Marcelo Ryan then headed FC TOKYO back in front four minutes into the second half, but Kyohei Noborizato was on hand to level again for C-Osaka with 11 minutes remaining, slamming in from close range.
Things are just as finely-poised in the fifth-place decider between Nagoya Grampus and FC Machida Zelvia, which also ended 2-2.
Hotaka Nakamura and Erik twice put FC Machida ahead, only for Yudai Kimura and Tomoki Takamine to strike back for Nagoya - the latter in the 92nd minute.
Four other ties also remain nip and tuck ahead of next weekend’s decisive second legs.
First-half goals from Sota Nakamura and Mutsuki Kato give Sanfrecce Hiroshima a 2-1 lead over Kawasaki Frontale, for whom Tatsuya Ito responded, while V-Varen Nagasaki also have a one-goal cushion against Mito Hollyhock, thanks to Matheus Jesus’ solitary strike after just 25 seconds at PEACE STADIUM Connected by SoftBank.
Elsewhere, the contests to decide ninth and 19th places both ended all square.
Shogo Sasaki opened the scoring three minutes before half time for Gamba Osaka in the former, only for Yuya Fukuda to equalise for Tokyo Verdy two minutes into the second period.
In the latter, Avispa Fukuoka and JEF United Chiba are tied at 2-2 in the tussle to avoid finishing bottom of the rankings - Daichi Ishikawa and Hiroto Goya bookending their game with goals for Chiba, but Fukuoka’s Shosei Usui and Yu Hashimoto both finding the net in-between.
The day’s other game saw Kashiwa Reysol thump Kyoto Sanga F.C. 6-2.
Strikes from Yoshio Koizumi, Yuki Kakita, Daiki Sugioka, Tojiro Kubo, and a brace from Yota Komi leave Kashiwa in a commanding position, with Haruki Arai and Rafael Elias on target for Kyoto.
Vissel Kobe vs Kashima Antlers - Game Highlights | PLAY-OFF ROUND 1ˢᵗLEG
Cerezo Osaka vs FC TOKYO - Game Highlights | PLAY-OFF ROUND 1ˢᵗLEG
Nagoya Grampus vs FC Machida Zelvia - Game Highlights | PLAY-OFF ROUND 1ˢᵗLEG
Sanfrecce Hiroshima vs Kawasaki Frontale - Game Highlights | PLAY-OFF ROUND 1ˢᵗLEG
Gamba Osaka vs Tokyo Verdy - Game Highlights | PLAY-OFF ROUND 1ˢᵗLEG
Kyoto Sanga F.C. vs Kashiwa Reysol - Game Highlights | PLAY-OFF ROUND 1ˢᵗLEG
V-Varen Nagasaki vs Mito Hollyhock - Game Highlights | PLAY-OFF ROUND 1ˢᵗLEG
Avispa Fukuoka vs JEF United Chiba - Game Highlights | PLAY-OFF ROUND 1ˢᵗLEG
