A game of few chances or highlights for either side, Endo swung in a great shot – right footed from the left wing – in the 18th minute that had Marinos keeper Iikura scrambling to tip it over the bar, while the closest the home team came in the 1st half was a Nakamura free kick that sailed harmlessly over the bar minutes before the break.
After the break Marinos came closer in the 48th minute as Marquinos set up Yuji Ono, who forced a fine save from Gamba keeper Kimura.
Right on the hour mark, Marinos were awarded a PK when Niwa was deemed to have tripped Saito in the area, but the off form Nakamura smacked the ball against the bar and the game headed for a scoreless draw… a rare occasion for Gamba, to be sure! Fujiharu did his best to break the deadlock in the 86th minute, as Kurata fed him on the edge of the area, but his rising shot was gathered by the keeper and the game did indeed end scoreless. Marinos did not manage a 5th win in a row, while Gamba kept a clean sheet for the first time since …. well, who can remember!

Vissel began this game hoping for another win for interim coach Adachi before he handed over the reins to incoming coach Akira Nishino and they almost got off to a dream start when a Yoshida cross was totally missed by Aoyama, leaving Nozawa free to shoot but his attempt was straight at the keeper. But it was the home team that took the lead in the 12th minute when a corner went straight through to Mizumoto, who half volleyed it home, totally unmarked from a few yards out.
Chiba almost made it 2-0 from another corner when his header struck the post, but the score remained 1-0 at half time and Vjssel turned the game around in a few short minutes through a Nozawa inswinging free kick that went through everyone and in at the far post, and then Morioka made it 2-1 with less than ten minutes to go after fine work from Tashiro and Tanaka created the opening.
But Sanfrecce are not in the position that they are in because they give up easily and three minutes later they were level. Ishihara latched onto a deflected pass and calmly slotted the ball past the onrushing Tokushige in the Vissel goal. And the home team got all three points when Moriwaki danced through the Vissel defence in lost time to make the final score 3-2!

Shimizu saw a chance to close in on the top spot last week pass them by when they struggled to find a point with a last kick equaliser against Cerezo and today they could afford no mistakes if they were to keep within touching distance of Sendai. Unfortunately, this game did not go as planned, although, despite a couple of easier chances, for Kashiwagi in particular, the only goal of the game came just before half time, and it was Abe who squeezed the ball home on the second attempt from a corner.
Alex Brosque saw his second yellow card for a challenge on Marcio Richardes before the hour was up and then Haraguchi did his best to extend the lead for the home team. In the 67th minute the young forward twisted and turned through three defenders but saw his shot just over and minutes later he raced down the right wing and slipped the ball across for Kashiwagi, who forced a fine save from Hayashi.
Abe hit the bar with a header and Reds had a nicely worked goal disallowed, quite correctly, for offside, and S-Pulse lost a game that they really should have won, IF they are to prove they are championship-challenging material.

Sendai started this match aiming to stay top of J1 after faltering with a loss and a draw in recent matches, and S-Pulse, among others are hot on their tail! The 2010 champions, Nagoya Grampus are never an easy proposition, although are undergoing some difficulties at the start of this campaign. Actually, strike that…. I should say WERE never an easy proposition, because they capitulated big time today!
Vegalta almost took the lead in the 18th minute as a low cross from Ryang was whipped off the toes of Sekiguchi in front of a wide open goal, but it was Ryang again, who finally opened the scoring in the 38th minute. But it was down to terrible hesitation TWICE within seconds, in the Grampus defence, before Ryang slotted home. It was 2-0 on the stroke of half time, as a deep corner was headed back across goal by Akamine and the hapless Masukawa popped it into his own net!
It stayed that way until the 87th minute when Tulio – who seemed Nagoya’s most potent forward today – saw his shot cleared off the line. The ball ricocheted out to Ota, who advanced forward, slotted a pass to Wilson and the Brazilian stayed on his feet for a change, probably because the challenge from Tanaka was half-hearted at best, and poked the ball home to make the game well and truly safe for the home team. But that wasn’t the end of the misery for Grampus! In the 90th minute Kakuda forced a fine save from Narazaki but the free ball was admired by Tanaka, again showing he is looking for a break in the next game, and Sugai poked home the free ball to make it 4-0, as Sendai stayed top, with ease!