Gamba Osaka launched a late smash-and-grab raid to blow the J. League title race wide open with a 2-0 win over Urawa Reds on Saturday.
Reds went into the match at Saitama Stadium knowing that a win over second-place Gamba would be enough to clinch their first championship since 2006, having established a five-point lead with three games of the season remaining.
But after dominating possession in front of a crowd of 56,758, Urawa conceded an 87th-minute goal to substitute Akihiro Sato before fellow replacement Shu Kurata added a second in injury time, launching Gamba firmly into championship contention and handing a lifeline to title outsiders Kashima Antlers and Sagan Tosu.