Vissel Kobe strengthened their position at the top of the West table in the MEIJI YASUDA J1 100 YEAR VISION LEAGUE on Sunday, cruising to a 4-1 win away to Fagiano Okayama in REGIONAL ROUND Match Week 9 and easing onto 22 points.
Okayama’s Daichi Tagami turned Gotoku Sakai’s cross into his own net in the eighth minute at JFE Harenokuni Stadium to give Kobe the lead, with Katsuya Nagato doubling the visitors’ advantage when he slammed home in the last minute of the first half.
Takaya Kimura pulled one back for Okayama with a header in the 62nd minute, but Takahiro Ohgihara’s penalty re-established Kobe’s two-goal advantage three minutes later, before Yuta Goke wrapped up the win with a crisp strike with two minutes remaining.
Shimizu S-Pulse ensured they remain six points behind Kobe in fourth place, after picking up a 3-0 win on the road at V-Varen Nagasaki.
Oh Se Hun sensationally broke the deadlock after just seven seconds when he closed down Nagasaki goalkeeper Masaaki Goto and diverted the ball over the line, and Yudai Shimamoto made it 2-0 with a header in the fourth minute.
Oh then made sure of the three points in the third minute of first-half stoppage time, converting coolly from the penalty spot.
Avispa Fukuoka were also celebrating, after Yu Hashimoto’s 16th-minute header secured a 1-0 win away to Sanfrecce Hiroshima - Fukuoka’s first win inside 90 minutes of the season.
Meanwhile in the East, a rollercoaster battle between Kawasaki Frontale and Urawa Reds ended 3-2 to the home side after a late winner from So Kawahara.
Urawa’s Kenta Nemoto opened the scoring when he tucked in from close range in the third minute at Uvance Todoroki Stadium by Fujitsu, only for Danilo Boza to score an own goal six minutes later and restore parity.
Takuro Kaneko clipped in to put Urawa back in front 11 minutes into the second half, but a Lazar Romanic header in the 78th minute made it 2-2, and Kawahara then sparked delirium for the home fans in the 94th minute when he swept in a delightful left-footed effort from more than 25 yards out.
Kashiwa Reysol were also on form in front of goal, as they defeated Yokohama F･Marinos 3-0 at SANKYO FRONTIER Kashiwa Stadium.
Yota Komi set Kashiwa on their way with a penalty in the 18th minute, a Taisei Inoue own goal made it 2-0 with 10 minutes remaining, and Hayato Nakama wrapped up the scoring two minutes later with a tap-in at the back post.
The day’s other game finished scoreless, with neither FC TOKYO nor FC Machida Zelvia able to find a way through at Ajinomoto Stadium.
Fagiano Okayama vs Vissel Kobe - Game Highlights | MW9
V-Varen Nagasaki vs Shimizu S-Pulse - Game Highlights | MW9
Sanfrecce Hiroshima vs Avispa Fukuoka - Game Highlights | MW9
Kawasaki Frontale vs Urawa Reds - Game Highlights | MW9
Kashiwa Reysol vs Yokohama F•Marinos - Game Highlights | MW9
FC TOKYO vs FC Machida Zelvia - Game Highlights | MW9
