Sanfrecce Hiroshima stepped up the defense of their J. League title with a comfortable 2-0 win over Shonan Bellmare on Saturday.
First-half goals from Yojiro Takahagi and Mihael Mikic at Shonan BMW Stadium Hiratsuka were enough to secure the three points for the defending champions, who have now won three in a row and have a game in hand on leaders Omiya Ardija before the J. League winds up for its monthlong international break.
Sanfrecce will try to reduce the nine-point gap on Ardija at home to Kashiwa Reysol on Wednesday, and with his team one point better off than it was at the same stage last season, manager Hajime Moriyasu is gearing up for another tilt at the title.