Unfashionable JEF United Ichihara stayed on course for its first-ever J. League first-division title after holding defending champion Jubilo Iwata 2-2 away in a pulsating draw on Sunday.
Brazilian striker Sandro looked to have put Ichihara on the way to a deserved win after Choi Yong Soo had canceled out Rodrigo Gral's 28th-minute opener but Ryoichi Maeda popped up to salvage a draw for Iwata 13 minutes from time.
The result kept Ichihara top of the table on 27 points with two games of the first stage remaining, one clear of Yokohama F. Marinos with Iwata in third another point back.
Iwata had the better of the opening exchanges in a cagey first half at Yamaha Stadium and Gral almost broke the deadlock when he forced a fine save out of Ichihara goalkeeper Ryo Kushino with a rasping drive on 13 minutes.