KAWASAKI -- Kawasaki Frontale made easy work of beating Division Two leader Urawa Reds 3-0 in the first leg of the first round of the J. League Nabisco Cup on Wednesday night. The second legs will be played April 19.
Former Kashima Antlers forward Mazinho scored on a penalty, his first goal of the season, and set up two other goals for Frontale.
Frontale has a 1-1-4 record so far in J. League play to hover at 14th in the First Division standings. But the Division One new-boys showed the difference between the two divisions with their speedy play.
Tomoaki Kuno put Frontale ahead in the 36th minute when the 26-year-old midfielder got a pass from Mazinho and dodged sliding Urawa defensive midfielder Tomoyuki Yoshino on the left of the box before firing an angled shot into the goal.
Soon after the break, Mazinho, cutting into the box, was pushed down by Nobunisa Yamada. The Brazilian forward converted the spot kick against Urawa debutant goalkeeper Yohei Nishibe. Eight minutes from time, Mazinho faked three players on the left side of the box before scooping the ball to substitute forward Akira Ito, who found the net.