Jubilo Iwata dealt Yokohama FC's survival hopes another savage blow after romping to a 3-0 win over the first-division whipping boys in the J. League on Saturday.
Ryoichi Maeda masterminded Yokohama's downfall with an exquisite first-half double and Takayuki Chano scored a late third to ensure Iwata extended their unbeaten start under new manager Atsushi Uchiyama to three games.
The result kept Jubilo in eighth place in the table but Yokohama needs to pull off an escape act that even Houdini would not fancy attempting to avoid a return to the J. League's backwaters after just one season in the top flight.
With just seven games left to play, Yokohama are 18 points adrift of Sanfreece Hiroshima and 13 behind Omiya Ardija, who climbed into the third-from-bottom playoff spot after a shock 2-0 win at Yokohama F Marinos.