Kashima Antlers' attempts to clinch another J. League title will hog the limelight on Saturday, but not everyone's eyes will be focused on the top of the table.
Seemingly dead and buried just one month ago, Kashiwa Reysol are sensing first-division survival. Two wins from their previous two games have left Reysol just four points behind Omiya Ardija with two games to play, with a head-to-head showdown between the two sides next up on Saturday.
While Omiya has been in a free-fall over the past month, Kashiwa has been raging against the dying light with a string of tenacious performances, most notably a 5-0 demolition of Shimizu S-Pulse earlier this month.