A late goal saved Sanfrecce Hiroshima from defeat against Shonan Bellmare in one of last night’s J.League Yamazaki Nabisco Cup Group A games. Takuma Asano scored his second of the game in additional time to level the scores at 2-2 and save Sanfrecce’s blushes. Bruno Cesar and Shota Kobayashi scored for the J1 new boys.

Elsewhere in Group A, Matsumoto Yamaga took maximum points in a 3-1 away win at Ventforet Kofu. After Takuma Abe had opened the scoring for the home side, Tatsuya Sakai scored his first-ever goal in Japanese football for Yamaga. And then he scored again! Naoki Maeda scored the away team’s other goal.

In the final match in the group – FC Tokyo had the night off in the seven team initial stage – Albirex Niigata triumphed over Sagan Tosu on the only goal of the game from Ryohei Yamazaki.

In Group B, Nagoya Grampus took the lead three times over Montedio Yamagata – on goals from Akira Takeuchi, Asahi Yada and Milivoje Novakovic – but each time the home team pulled level. The final goal in this six-goal thriller came from Hiroki Bandai’s header in the 92nd minute. Grampus stay top of the group, three points clear of Vissel Kobe who have a game in hand on the leaders. Vissel were held to a 0-0 draw at Vegalta Sendai.

Group B’s other match produced a 2-0 away win for Kawasaki Frontale over Shimizu S-Pulse. Goals from Kentaro Moriya and Elsinho gave Frontale their first points of the Nabisco campaign.

The next Nabisco Cup matches take place on April 22nd.