An injury-time winner from Yuta Goke gave Vissel Kobe a 2-1 victory away to V-Varen Nagasaki in the Levain Cup on Wednesday night, strengthening its hold on first place in Group D after four round-robin matches.
Spanish forward Juanma put the home side ahead in the 22nd minute before Wellington equalized 23 minutes before the end of regulation. Nagasaki remains second in the group, three points adrift of undefeated Vissel, which is on 10 points.
Shonan Bellmare and Sagan Tosu remain third and fourth, respectively, in the group after playing a scoreless draw at Best Amenity Stadium in Tosu.
In the other league cup matches, Consadole Sapporo came from behind to beat Jubilo Iwata 3-2 on the road, securing its first Group B victory on Takumi Miyayoshi's 90th-minute winner.
Ventforet Kofu and Shimizu S-Pulse top the group on seven points after they played to a 1-1 draw at IAI Stadium in Shizuoka.
Sho Ito scored twice for Group A leaders Yokohama F Marinos in a comeback 2-2 draw at FC Tokyo.
FC Tokyo sits at the bottom of the group on four points along with Albirex Niigata, which beat second-place Vegalta Sendai 3-1 at Denka Big Swan stadium.
A 71st-minute goal from Kosuke Taketomi gave Urawa Reds a 1-0 victory at Gamba Osaka in Group C, moving the Saitama-based side into second place on seven points, trailing Sanfrecce Hiroshima on goal difference.
J-League leaders Sanfrecce fell to its first loss in the tournament, beaten 2-1 by Nagoya Grampus at Paloma Mizuho. The win gave Grampus its first win and first points but leaves it trailing third-place Gamba by three points.