Masaki Fukai struck twice as Kashima Antlers returned to winning ways with a 4-0 thrashing of struggling Vissel Kobe in the J. League first division on Saturday.
Reysol forward Keiji Tamada acknowledges fans after scoring an equalizer in the 20th minute against Gamba Osaka during their J. League first-division match Saturday at Kashiwa Hitachi Stadium. Tamada later scored the winner in Reysol's 2-1 win.
The lively Fukai laid on the opener for Alex Mineiro at the start of the second half and capped a fine performance with goals in the 62nd and 70th minutes before substitute Takuya Nozawa completed the rout in stoppage time to reignite Kashima's title bid.
The result put Kashima within one point of leader Gamba Osaka, which was stunned 2-1 by lowly Kashiwa Reysol, Japan striker Keiji Tamada the hero with both goals in Chiba Prefecture.