Tokyo Verdy maintained their unbeaten start to the MEIJI YASUDA J1 100 YEAR VISION LEAGUE season on Saturday, sensationally recovering from two goals down to rescue a 2-2 draw against FC Machida Zelvia, before emerging victorious from the resultant penalty shoot-out.
Yuki Soma gave FC Machida the lead with a bullet of a free-kick from 30 yards in the 69th minute, with Yuta Nakayama doubling the visitors’ advantage 11 minutes later when he tapped in from close range at a corner.
Tokyo-V refused to give up though, and Hiroto Yamami pulled one back with a low strike from just outside the area in the 89th minute, before Taiju Yoshida powered home a header in the fifth minute of additional time to level things up and send the game to penalties.
Koki Morita was then the hero for Tokyo-V from 12 yards, tucking in their final kick to seal a 4-3 win.
REGIONAL ROUND Match Week 3 also served up a Tamagawa Clasico, where FC TOKYO preserved their own unbeaten record by defeating regional rivals Kawasaki Frontale 2-1.
Marcelo Ryan opened the scoring for FC TOKYO at Uvance Todoroki Stadium by Fujitsu when he fired home in the 18th minute, and although Reon Yamahara curled in a beautiful equaliser 13 minutes later, Sei Muroya wrapped up the three points when he rifled into the net seven minutes before half-time.
Elsewhere, V-Varen Nagasaki and Shimizu S-Pulse both picked up their first wins of the season.
Thiago Santana broke the deadlock and Norman Campbell added a brace to make sure of a 3-1 victory for Nagasaki against Nagoya Grampus - Yuya Asano striking back for Nagoya - while Oh Se Hun’s 55th-minute penalty was enough to seal a 1-0 win for Shimizu over Vissel Kobe.
The day’s other games both finished 2-0, as reigning champions Kashima Antlers and Urawa Reds got the better of Kashiwa Reysol and Yokohama F･Marinos, respectively.
Mao Hosoya had the chance to give Kashiwa the lead from the penalty spot in the 25th minute at Mercari Stadium, but Tomoki Hayakawa saved his effort and 11 minutes later Leo Ceara rifled home to put Kashima ahead.
Naomichi Ueda added a buffer for the hosts eight minutes after the restart, heading in at a corner to leave Kashiwa still waiting for their first point of the season.
Yokohama F･M also remain pointless, after they fell to defeat at home to Urawa.
Takahiro Sekine struck first when he clipped in a rebound in the 55th minute, before Jumpei Hayakawa made the points safe for Urawa six minutes from time, calmly converting from the edge of the D.
Tokyo Verdy vs FC Machida Zelvia - Game Highlights | MW3
Kawasaki Frontale vs FC TOKYO - Game Highlights | MW3
Yokohama F•Marinos vs Urawa Reds - Game Highlights | MW3
Shimizu S-Pulse vs Vissel Kobe - Game Highlights | MW3
Nagoya Grampus vs V-Varen Nagasaki - Game Highlights | MW3
Kashima Antlers vs Kashiwa Reysol - Game Highlights | MW3
