Alexander Scholz and Atsuki Ito scored from set pieces in the opening half Saturday as Urawa Reds beat Nagoya Grampus 3-0 and registered their first J. League top-flight win since March 19.
Takahiro Sekine added another goal before halftime to help the Emperor's Cup holders clinch just their third victory of a J1 campaign in which they have fallen miserably short of expectations.
The morale-boosting result following the extended international break lifted Ricardo Rodriguez's side to 13th on the table after it had languished on the relegation zone fringe for several rounds.