KASHIMA, Ibaraki Pref. — Kashima Antlers nudged back in front in the J. League title race as the defending champions beat hapless JEF United Chiba 3-0 on Saturday to end their six-game winless slump.
Antlers had taken only one point since Aug. 23 going into the game at Kashima Stadium, and had paid the price by dropping into second place after holding a seemingly invincible lead for most of the season.
But Shinzo Koroki helped put that to rights with a well-taken strike in the ninth minute, before Marquinhos and substitute Yuzo Tashiro scored either side of halftime against a poor Chiba side now almost certainly heading for relegation.