Tokushima Vortis on Saturday took the J. League first division's three-way battle to avoid relegation to the final day after a Takeru Kishimoto second-half goal secured a 1-0 win over direct rivals Shonan Bellmare.
Shonan, whose 23-year-old Brazilian midfielder Riuler de Oliveira died of acute cardiac failure this past week, could have confirmed their place in the top flight next year with a home win but both sides are now level on 36 points with one game each to play.
The third side in the race, Shimizu S-Pulse, moved up to 39 points thanks to Keita Nakamura's 93rd-minute screamer in a 1-0 away win over Urawa Reds.