J-League Wrap: Vegalta out of bottom three
Vegalta Sendai clambered out of the J-League relegation zone with a 1-0 win at Cerezo Osaka on Saturday to make it third victories in a row.
Ryang Yong-Gi's strike seven minutes from time earned the visitors all three points and helped them climb to 14th in the table, moving above a trio of sides who all tasted defeat to teams at the top of the table.
Omiya Ardija lost 2-0 at home to Urawa Reds thanks to goals from Shinzo Koroki and Yosuke Kashiwagi, while Ventforet Kofu went down 1-0 at Vissel Kobe as Pedro Junior netted the winner in the ninth minute.
Yokohama F Marinos also suffered defeat - their third in four matches - as early goals from Kim Min-Woo and Kei Ikeda earned Sagan Tosu a 2-1 success.
That win left Tosu a point clear of Urawa at the summit, with Vissel Kobe three points further back.
Kobe were joined on 23 points by Kashiwa Reysol, who won 1-0 at home to Albirex Niigata thanks to Daisuke Suzuki's 73rd-minute winner.
The biggest win of the round went the way of Kawasaki Frontale, who thumped Kashima Antlers 4-1 at home.
Yu Kobayashi opened the scoring in the third minute and after Gaku Shibasaki levelled matters, Kobayashi restored the hosts' lead shortly before the hour.
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Two goals in the final seven minutes from Yoshito Okubo sealed the win for Yahiro Kazama's men, who have now taken 10 points from their past four games.
Elsewhere, Gamba Osaka won 2-1 at Nagoya Grampus, while Sanfrecce Hiroshima drew 1-1 with Shimizu S-Pulse and the game between Tokushima Vortis and Tokyo finished goalless.
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