Yokohama F. Marinos gained vital ground on runaway first-division leaders Kashima Antlers on Wednesday as a second-half goal from Japan international Yuji Nakazawa gave the defending J. League champions a 2-1 home win.
Yokohama fell behind to a Daiki Iwamasa header early on but came roaring back as headers from Hideo Oshima and defender Nakazawa handed Kashima only its second loss of the season.
Elsewhere, Gamba Osaka stayed in second after a late 2-1 win at Sanfrecce Hiroshima while 2004 league runnerup Urawa Reds handed troubled Tokyo Verdy its second seven-goal defeat in five days to climb into third.
With 14 matches played, Kashima leads the table with 32 points with Gamba seven points adrift after Brazilian Araujo scored twice to move atop the scoring charts, his headed winner coming in the last minute at Big Arch.