Gamba Osaka moved back into the top of the J. League first division after a 5-1 demolition of lowly Nagoya Grampus Eight on Saturday, while 10-man Urawa Reds ended Kawasaki Frontale's 10-match unbeaten run with a 2-0 away win.
Cerezo Osaka midfielder Pingo celebrates with his teammates after scoring their first goal against Jubilo at Yamaha Stadium on Saturday. Iwata won 3-1.
KYODO PHOTOGamba replaced Kawasaki at the top of the table after Satoshi Yamaguchi found the net twice and Takahiro Futagawa, Fernandinho and substitute Ryuji Bando also got on the scoresheet at Expo stadium.
Yasushi Endo played a part in four of Gamba's five goals as the defending league champions moved onto 32 points from 14 matches, two points clear of Kawasaki and three ahead of Urawa.
At Todoroki stadium, Tatsuya Tanaka put Urawa ahead on the hour mark with his first goal since returning from a nine-month injury layoff but the visitors were reduced to 10 men three minutes later when Nobuhisa Yamada was given his second yellow card.
Kawasaki substitute Yuki Matsushita hit the woodwork midway through the second half before Urawa substitute Yuichiro Nagai latched on to a through ball from Alessandro Santos to add a second in the 77th minute.
Elsewhere, JEF United Chiba won 4-2 at Sanfrecce Hiroshima for their first victory since Amar Osim took over from father and Japan coach Ivica Osim as manager.
At Matsumoto, Go Oiwa and substitute Masaki Fukai struck in the final 15 minutes to give Kashima Antlers a hard-fought 4-2 win over FC Tokyo. Jubilo Iwata ran out 3-1 winners at home to bottom club Cerezo Osaka, Oita Trinita crushed visiting Albirex Niigata 4-0 and Omiya Ardija defeated Ventforet Kofu 3-1 at home.
