J.League wrap: Kashiwa go four points clear

Kashiwa Reysol increased their lead on top of the J.League to four points on Saturday with a 4-1 away win over Ventforet Kofu.

A first-half brace from Junya Tanaka gave the visitors a 2-0 lead at the break, but Mike Havenaar pulled a goal back for Ventforet just before the hour mark.

Just when it appeared the hosts could get back into the contest, Brazilian midfielder Jorge Wagner stepped up with two goals in the last half hour to make sure of the points for last season’s J2.League champions.

Kashiwa’s two-point lead was extended to four thanks to second-placed Kawasaki Frontale’s 2-2 draw away against Kashima Antlers.

Yuzo Tashiro gave the Antlers the lead just after the half-hour mark and when Koji Nakata scored on the stroke of half-time it was all one-way traffic.

But Frontale hit back after 70 minutes through Yusuke Tanaka and when Yu Kobayashi scored on the 90-minute mark the visitors had done enough to secure a point.

In other Saturday results, Nagoya Grampus climbed to fourth with a 1-0 win over Urawa Reds while Albirex Niigata secured some much-needed points with a 1-0 win over Cerezo Osaka.

And Jubilo Iwata compounded the misery of bottom side Avispa Fukuoka with a 2-1 win at Level-5 Stadium.

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