Nagoya Grampus will fight to the last breath to defend their J. League title, but there can be little doubt now that the 2011 championship is Kashiwa Reysol's to lose.
Reysol took a huge step toward their first-ever title on Sunday, coming from behind to beat Shimizu S-Pulse 2-1 and reopen the three-point gap at the top that Grampus had closed by beating Yokohama F. Marinos a day earlier. With only two games remaining, the finish line is tantalizingly close.
Gamba Osaka's championship ambitions took a serious blow with a 2-2 draw with Albirex Niigata, but Nagoya's superior goal difference means Kashiwa cannot afford to rest on its laurels. Defeat at home to Cerezo Osaka on Saturday coupled with a Grampus win over Montedio Yamagata would put Nagoya in pole position, but for now Kashiwa's destiny remains very much in its own hands.