More final placements were confirmed on Saturday, as REGIONAL ROUND Match Week 18 in the MEIJI YASUDA J1 100 YEAR VISION LEAGUE continued.
Vissel Kobe made sure of top spot in the West, defeating Avispa Fukuoka 1-0 to ensure they will be squaring off against East winners Kashima Antlers in the Play-Off Round.
Matheus Thuler netted the decisive goal in the fifth minute of first-half stoppage time at BEST DENKI STADIUM, thundering home a header after Yoshinori Muto’s inch-perfect cross from the left to move Kobe clear at the summit on 35 points.
The loss dropped Fukuoka to the bottom of the table, level on 21 points with V-Varen Nagasaki, but with a slightly worse goal difference.
Nagasaki also lost their last REGIONAL ROUND fixture 1-0, going down to Kyoto Sanga F.C., who climbed up to eighth place on 23 points thanks to Rafael Elias’ 51st-minute header.
Nagoya Grampus just about remain in second place on 31 points, despite falling to a second straight defeat in a 4-2 thriller away to Sanfrecce Hiroshima, who are provisionally in third on 30 points.
Sota Nakamura opened the scoring in the 33rd minute at EDION PEACE WING HIROSHIMA, and although Yuya Yamagishi equalised in the second minute of first-half stoppage time for Nagoya, Hayao Kawabe re-established the hosts’ lead when he rifled in two minutes later.
Shuto Nakano and Akito Suzuki then both registered in the 47th and 56th minutes to move Hiroshima into a commanding 4-1 lead, before Tsukasa Morishima slammed in a consolation for Nagoya in the 67th minute.
Meanwhile back in the East, Kashima were already assured of finishing top, but rounded off the REGIONAL ROUND in style with a 1-0 win over second-placed FC TOKYO.
Shu Morooka clipped in the decisive goal with 10 minutes remaining at Mercari Stadium, moving Kashima onto 45 points, eight clear of their closest challengers.
In the day’s other game, Kashiwa Reysol provisionally lifted themselves up to seventh place on 20 points with a 4-2 win in the Chiba Derby against JEF United Chiba, who are cut adrift at the bottom of the table on 12 points.
Yuki Kakita got the scoring started with a calm strike in the 35th minute, Yoshio Koizumi doubled the home side’s lead when he swept a low effort home four minutes later, and Ryota Kuboniwa pulled one back for Chiba in the second minute of first-half injury time.
Mao Hosoya then restored Kashiwa’s two-goal lead with a lethal finish in the 75th minute, and although Issei Takahashi fired in a riposte for Chiba 10 minutes later, Taiyo Koga wrapped up the win for Kashiwa with a diving header in the 89th minute.
Avispa Fukuoka vs Vissel Kobe - Game Highlights | MW18
Kyoto Sanga F.C. vs V-Varen Nagasaki - Game Highlights | MW18
Kashima Antlers vs FC TOKYO - Game Highlights | MW18
Kashiwa Reysol vs JEF United Chiba - Game Highlights | MW18
