J. League first-stage champions Urawa Reds beat Albirex Niigata 5-2 on Saturday night to complete the opening campaign with an unbeaten record.
Urawa went into the match at Saitama Stadium having already wrapped up the first-stage silverware the previous weekend, but the 2006 champions had the chance to embellish the achievement by becoming the first team in J. League history to finish a stage undefeated.
First-half goals from Shinzo Koroki and Yuki Muto put Urawa in control before both players scored again early in the second half to make the result a formality. Niigata's Rafael Silva then pulled one back from the penalty spot, but Daisuke Nasu added another for Reds before Hiroshi Ibusuki gave the visitors a late second.