League leaders Sanfrecce Hiroshima went into last weekend's game against Urawa Reds with a real chance to pull clear of the chasing pack, but after crashing to a 3-1 defeat at Saitama Stadium, the top of the table now looks more congested than ever.
A mixed sequence of results for the leading sides means Sanfrecce's three-point cushion has now been reduced to one ahead of second-place Yokohama F. Marinos, with Urawa a point further behind in third. Omiya Ardija had the opportunity to reclaim first place with a big win over Kashima Antlers, but instead the struggling Saitama side slumped to a fourth straight defeat and now trails local rival Urawa by a point in fourth.
"If we had lost then we would have fallen eight points out of first place, but now the gap is only two," said Urawa striker Shinzo Koroki, who scored twice in the win. "Now we have the chance to move top of the league."