Gamba Osaka maintained a two-point lead at the top of the table Wednesday after thrashing Kawasaki Frontale 4-0 as the second stage of the J. League First Division reconvened after an 11-week break for the Olympics and Asian Cup.
Brazilian Vital and midfield partner Toru Araiba both scored twice in front of 7,238 at Expo stadium as Gamba steamrollered relegation candidate Frontale to win its sixth straight at home and move onto 26 points from 11 games. Nabisco Cup winners Kashima Antlers kept up the pressure on Gamba with a 2-1 victory over struggling Shimizu S-Pulse thanks to a late winner from Japan defender Koji Nakata, who rose to head in a left-wing corner in the 86th minute at Tokyo's National Stadium.
Kashiwa Reysol held onto third place in the table after Japan forward Hideaki Kitajima stabbed in a "golden goal" 11 minutes into extra time to give his side a 2-1 home win over Sanfrecce Hiroshima.
Jubilo Iwata kept its outside chances alive as Japan internationals present and past, Toshihiro Hattori and Masashi Nakayama, scored late goals in a 2-0 home win over FC Tokyo.
Hattori scored from close range in the 86th minute, before Nakayama headed a second in the 90th minute as Iwata celebrated the return of Asian Cup Player of the Tournament Hiroshi Nanami after an unhappy spell in Italy.
Shoji Jo marked his return to Yokohama F. Marinos after six months on loan to Spain's Valladolid with two goals in a 4-2 win at bottom club Vissel Kobe.