Makoto Hasebe snatched a last-minute winner as high-flying Urawa Reds maintained their perfect start to the second stage with a 3-2 win over faltering Jubilo Iwata in the J. League first division on Sunday.
The win kept Urawa top of the table while Gamba Osaka also made it three wins out of three after edging Shimizu S-Pulse 1-0 but defending champions Yokohama F. Marinos were handed their first defeat in 16 league matches after a 2-1 reverse at Nagoya Grampus Eight.
Brimming with confidence after last Saturday's 7-2 demolition of Tokyo Verdy, Urawa went in front after 16 minutes when Brazilian striker Emerson rifled home his 16th goal of the season and Nobuhisa Yamada doubled the lead with a strike from distance just after half an hour.
Ryoichi Maeda pulled one back for the visitors and Japan midfielder Norihiro Nishi looked to have done enough to give Jubilo a share of the spoils with an equalizer in the 82nd minute after teammate Takashi Fukunishi was sent off.