Kyoto Sanga F.C. put in an authoritative display to move back to the top of the 2025 MEIJI YASUDA J1 LEAGUE table on Sunday, cruising to a 4-0 win away to FC TOKYO thanks to a Rafael Elias hat-trick and Yoshinori Suzuki header.
The visitors took the lead after eight minutes at Ajinomoto Stadium, Rafael Elias tucking home confidently from the penalty spot after Shinnosuke Fukuda had been fouled in the area by Kashif Bangnagande.
Remarkably, Kyoto then doubled their lead with a second penalty just five minutes later. This time Rafael Elias was felled by FC TOKYO goalkeeper Kim Seung Gyu, and the Brazilian dusted himself off to beat Kim again from 12 yards.
Kyoto goalkeeper Gakuji Ota then made the first of several saves in the 34th minute, bundling a Kota Tawaratsumida strike past the post after the winger had torn into the box and fired goalwards.
Ota also dealt well with a Teruhito Nakagawa header four minutes later, meaning Kyoto were in a position to extend their lead in the final minute of the first half when centre-back Suzuki found himself free to nod home Taiki Hirato's cross from deep.
Rafael Elias had a couple of chances to add to the score early in the second period but was denied each time by Kim, and Ota then made another sensational stop in the 62nd minute when he somehow kept out Motoki Nagakura’s close-range header after a whipped cross from the right by Yuto Nagatomo.
Substitute Marcelo Ryan almost made an instant impression with a low drive in the 64th minute, but Ota was also equal to that and two subsequent attempts - palming the first behind, then nudging Kei Koizumi’s header over from the resultant corner before also saving again from Marcelo Ryan at another FC TOKYO corner seconds later.
Marcos Guilherme, another FC TOKYO substitute, also saw a dipping effort repelled by Ota in the 68th minute, and with nine minutes remaining Rafael Elias added the gloss to Kyoto’s victory when he completed his hat-trick.
FC TOKYO were again caught out when trying to play out from the back by Kyoto’s aggressive pressing, and when the ball broke to Rafael Elias in the area he calmly stroked home to make it 4-0 and ensure his side returned to the summit, ahead of Kashima Antlers on goal difference.
FC TOKYO vs. Kyoto Sanga F.C. - Game Highlights | 2025 J1 LEAGUE HIGHLIGHTS | MW 27
