Yuichiro Nagai struck a second-half winner Sunday as J. League leaders Urawa Reds came from behind to defeat Gamba Osaka 2-1 at home in a top-of-the-table clash and opened up a four-point lead in the second stage.
Nobuhisa Yamada rifled home a 17th-minute shot to cancel out an eighth-minute opener from Fernandinho and Nagai volleyed home a Keita Suzuki cross from the left in the 53rd minute to give Urawa a pivotal victory in their pursuit of a first league title.
JEF United Ichihara and Yokohama F. Marinos failed to keep up with the pace with away draws.
Ichihara played to a scoreless draw at bottom club Kashiwa Reysol in a game that saw seven yellow cards, including two for Kashiwa defender Takeshi Watanabe who was sent off in the dying minutes.