REGIONAL ROUND Match Week 16 in the MEIJI YASUDA J1 100 YEAR VISION LEAGUE concluded on Sunday, with Nagoya Grampus extending their lead at the top of the West table and the East’s leading sides Kashima Antlers and FC TOKYO both striking decisive late goals.
Nagoya are now three points clear at the summit on 31 points, after they defeated Kyoto Sanga F.C. 3-0 thanks to a hat-trick from Yuya Yamagishi.
Yamagishi opened the scoring at Toyota Stadium with a header in the ninth minute, before tucking in a rebound 20 minutes later and then ensuring he’d be leaving with the match-ball when he headed home again in the last minute.
Vissel Kobe still have a game in hand over Nagoya, but dropped off the pace after a shock 3-0 loss at home to Fagiano Okayama.
Yoshitake Suzuki gave Okayama the lead when he drove a low strike into the far corner after 28 minutes at NOEVIR Stadium Kobe, Ataru Esaka doubled the visitors’ advantage with a header two minutes before half-time, and Takaya Kimura wrapped up the scoring when he calmly converted in the 89th minute.
Meanwhile in the East, Kashima needed a 95th minute header from Leo Ceara to cancel out Kaina Tanimura’s 58th minute opener for Yokohama F･Marinos, making it 1-1 and sending the game at Nissan Stadium to a penalty shoot-out.
Once there, Yokohama F･M’s Ryo Miyaichi was the only player to miss from 12 yards, enabling Kashima to win 5-4 and climb to 39 points at the top of the rankings.
FC TOKYO closed the gap to four points after a 95th minute goal of their own, as Motoki Nagakura struck deep into injury time to seal a 2-1 comeback win in the Tokyo Derby against Tokyo Verdy.
Koki Morita swept Tokyo-V 1-0 up in the 29th minute at Ajinomoto Stadium, but Sei Muroya equalised with a powerful strike four minutes before half-time, and Nagakura’s skilful late turn and dinked finish completed the dramatic recovery.
In the East’s other games, Mao Hosoya struck the only goal in the 73rd minute as Kashiwa Reysol ended a run of six straight defeats with a 1-0 win over Kawasaki Frontale, and Na Sangho’s first-half brace secured FC Machida Zelvia a 2-0 victory away to JEF United Chiba - who subsequently dropped below Kashiwa to the bottom of the table.
Back in the West, Sanfrecce Hiroshima beat Gamba Osaka 1-0 thanks to Shunki Higashi’s 68th-minute effort, and Shimizu S-Pulse overcame Avispa Fukuoka 4-3 on penalties after they drew 1-1 - Shosei Usui breaking the deadlock in the 70th minute for Fukuoka but Oh Se Hun levelling for Shimizu five minutes later.
Nagoya Grampus vs Kyoto Sanga F.C. - Game Highlights | MW16
Vissel Kobe vs Fagiano Okayama - Game Highlights | MW16
Gamba Osaka vs Sanfrecce Hiroshima - Game Highlights | MW16
Shimizu S-Pulse vs Avispa Fukuoka - Game Highlights | MW16
Yokohama F•Marinos vs Kashima Antlers - Game Highlights | MW16
FC TOKYO vs Tokyo Verdy - Game Highlights | MW16
Kashiwa Reysol vs Kawasaki Frontale - Game Highlights | MW16
JEF United Chiba vs FC Machida Zelvia - Game Highlights | MW16
